Almost every gambler who loves card games dreams of becoming a professional poker player and the internet is full of advice on what you should do and what you shouldn’t do to win more. One of the main reasons why poker is a popular card game is the fact that it involves more skill than luck, however, the hand of destiny still has a word in the matter.
Poker is a complex game that takes years to master and the truth is, there is no foolproof recipe as each player learns the game and comes up with his own strategies according to the variation or variants he specializes in.
If you want to without pay play online games win real money free, you can find a no deposit casino that will allow you to have fun gameplay sessions without having to invest a single dime and you can use the opportunity to become better at poker.
Without any further ado, if you are already a pro, the advice below will seem redundant, however, if you are just getting started, read this article and learn some tips and tricks from veterans’ tables.
Think About Ranges
The most important aspect to consider in a poker game are the ranges. A beginner will think about hands while a professional player will think about ranges of hands. Learn when to hold on to some cards and when to change your strategy and ditch them to go for something else.
This is a very complex subject because to make the best decisions you will need to take into consideration your position at the table, the slight hints your opponents will give you involuntarily and the odds of hitting a certain hand.
Adopt a Strategy
Each player has his own strategies developed and mastered in time that suits his/her playstyle. You can only do this by playing so try and stick with low wager tables, or, even better, try and find a demo version of the online poker version you are trying to master.
This will not earn you real money or a lot in the beginning, but it will help you learn how the game works and devise a strategy for each situation.
Learn Poker Odds
This is a more advanced technique of winning at poker, practised by the best players. It’s also one of the hardest but with great results. What exactly are poker odds? It’s the probability of a card showing up on the next draw or the probability of forming a hand.
The simplest way to do the math is to multiply your outs by 2 and by 4. Multiply them by two to see how likely you are to improve your hand on the next draw. Here are a couple of examples.
There is a flush draw with 9 outs. Multiply it by two and you get 18%. This is the probability of improving your hand on the next draw. Let’s take another example and say you have a straight draw with 4 outs and you multiply by 2 to obtain odds around 9%.
The approximation is quite accurate and will greatly improve your gameplay, however, it takes a lot of practice to be able to do the math and the following decisions quickly.
Keep in mind that these examples are made for the Texas Hold’Em version. Different versions will have different odds, according to the number of cards at play. Learn the odds for the version you will be playing otherwise you may end up ruining your hands.
Take Your Time
Don’t get used to making rash decisions automatically and don’t bite more than you can chew. Good things come to those who wait. Before rushing in at a poker table, either in a land-based establishment, a live casino room or just in an online poker game, it’s a good idea to start small and work your way up.
Start by playing simple poker variations until you learn how to master odds, hands and how to make the best decision in a given situation. Surely, you have seen professional players making decisions in a blink of an eye. This will also happen to you in time, as practice makes perfect.
Especially in the beginning, try to play at one single table and take your time to analyse your opponent’s decisions. It will become second nature in no time and you will be able to make faster and better decisions.
Don’t Bluff Too Much
Bluffing is considered a must when it comes to poker games. It is a great way to deceive your opponents, especially beginners and push them over the edge to make a wrong move or play in a different manner.
As you naturally progress and start playing at tables with larger stakes, you will notice that everyone bluffs and tends to play aggressively. For a beginner, this can be very confusing.
Try and stick to online poker variations where you can focus more on your strategy and you don’t have to worry about bluffing. Counting cards, making calculations and strategies, and still bluffing is like trying to look at two different sides while still driving a car at high speed. It simply doesn’t come naturally for a beginner. Secondly, a professional player will easily see through your bluff simply because he has done it a lot more times.
Final Words
To sum it up, gambling should be fun and not stressful. Don’t beat yourself up trying to learn everything and become a pro in two days. Instead, take your time and enjoy the road of learning by practising.
Once you are confident enough, you can slowly raise the stake and play at more challenging tables but don’t rush it. Multiple smaller wins are better than to risk large amounts of money and lose. Also, the first wins will also give you the boost in confidence you need.