Although any card game involves a small element of luck, poker is largely a game of strategy. Knowing how to strategize and, at the same time, be able to manage your hand and your emotions, whether a game is going against you or in your favor, can make all the difference between winning and losing.
To be able to perform your best at the table, you’ve got to be constantly learning about poker strategy and then practicing it. The more practice, the better. Below are 10 strategies you can learn and use to become a poker powerhouse.
1. Be aggressive
Poker is all about focusing and timing aggression. As you get more used to the game, you learn when to play more aggressively. Most beginners play too cautiously, but the only way you may win in poker is by betting. Being aggressive while playing online poker enables you to stamp your authority on the game and potentially frighten your opposition, although they won’t be able to see your body language, they will still get the vibe that you’re a big hitter.
2. Play strong early in tournaments
The start of a tournament isn’t the time for preserving your stack of chips, so get aggressive early and build up two or three times your starting stack for a deep run later. It’s the only way you could end up in the money. Only worry about survival when your stack starts to run low.
3. Know when to fold
Calling too often and in the wrong situations is one of the fastest ways to lose at poker, so if you’re not feeling sure, just fold. That’s hard to do because of the natural desire to win and of the way the human brain is wired. Importantly, if you do fold, and if the opportunity presents itself, record the details of the hand so that you can analyze later whether folding was the right decision. It’s an excellent way to improve and learn more about the game.
4. Learn to be patient
Most hands you play are going to be losers. That’s just the way it is. The trick is to sit with the boredom of losing hand after hand and wait patiently until you get the hand you want. If you don’t have it, just fold and study how the other players are playing and see what you can glean from them.
5. Watch your opponents
Poker is based on the situation. Whether a hand is good or bad depends on what cards the other players are holding. Watching how the other players are playing is a good way to learn what kind of cards they might be holding. Has one been calling, but then suddenly makes a big raise? They probably hold a winning hand.
6. Be aware of position
Your position at the table is vital in poker. The later position you are to the dealer, the better because then you gather more information to make decisions. It allows you to bluff and potentially play more hands.
7. Tell believable stories
No, poker isn’t theatre. It’s quite the opposite, but to be convincing you must tell consistent stories, from the amount you bet and position, to the time it takes you to make decisions. This means starting strong. Experienced players will look for incoherence in the way you’re playing and if you suddenly start bluffing, they’ll spot it a mile off and exploit it.
8. Keep your emotions under control
With the high amounts of money up for grabs in poker comes a lot of pressure and, emotionally, a lot of highs and lows, so keep your emotions well and truly in check. If you win big, don’t get overconfident. If you lose, don’t let your frustration show. Being able to stay in control of your emotions will help you to make rational decisions.
9. Understand that everything matters
If you’re just starting out in poker, it’s common to see and consider bet sizing, position and other fundamentals in isolation. Really though, everything matters in poker. For instance, you can’t think about bet sizing without also considering pot odds, just as you can’t think about position without also thinking about the type of player in each position. Everything is connected, so you need to merge individual aspects into an overall strategy.
10. Learn from experience
Of course, you’re not going to master the game overnight. The more you play, the more experience you build and, as a result, the more you learn. Go back over the wins and the losses. Review your hands. Identify any mistakes you made and think about how you could have played them differently.
To get better at poker you have to learn continuously about the game and poker strategy and put into practice what you’ve learned. Other important strategies include learning to manage your bankroll and playing in games where you have the biggest chances of winning.
