allow me to preface this by saying that I am 16 years old and consider myself a good poker player. I have won many non-affiliated tournaments(high and low stakes). First off, only gamble with money that you can survive without. The main goal for most amatuer poker players should be to have fun. Therefore, if you are playing with nonessential money, you have fun either way. It sounds like you consider yourself a decent poker player, and through hard work, your skills will increase rapidly.
suggestions:
-practice practice practice practice with friends, family, coworkers, neighbors at least once a week for low stakes (5-10 dollar buy in)
-watch as much poker as possible (ESPN, FSN, ESPN Classic, Travel channel)
-when watching different players, try to guess what they will do when they are placed in different situations
-after you can consistently predict what players will do (70% or more of the time) start researching:
*top ten hands
*bottom ten hands
*and simply the odds of certain hole cards beating other hole cards
-there are two ways of doing this. One is to research online for poker odds and whatnot. The way I did it may seem obsessive and excessive, but I believe it is essential for any serios poker player. For about a week, deal cards face up to 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 players depending on where your weaknesses lie. Do this for about an hour a day until you have seen pocket aces at least four times, this is the easiest way to keep track. Even you can take two cards out of the deck which you would like to research and deal to the remaining imaginary players. This way you can target certain areas of hole cards (pocket pair, low pocket pair, suited connectors, unsuited connectors, ace and high card, ace and low card). This is when poker players develop their basic poker strategy, in general–if, how, and when to play or not to play certain hands.
-poker tells: I believe that one cannot learn to read poker tells, but if you claim to be a decent poker player than im sure you have some ability to read opponents' hands.
-Next, use these skills in your weekly poker games that you should be having.
-Again, only gamble with money that you can live without
- one thing that many amatuer poker players are scared about is playing post flop. This is what separates many amatuers from professionals. Focus focus focus on betting patterns preflop. (Did he limp in the pot with a marginal hand? (watch out for a low flop). Did he raise pre flop with a strong hand? (watch for strong flop and a continuation bet). Did he call out of position?(this is considered by many to be equivalent to making a slight raise).
-learn how to calculate pot odds online. But always keep in mind how many chips you have in front of you. And use pot odds to help determine how to bet, or if to call, reraise, or fold after a bet. But always keep in mind the type of player that is betting or raising (tight or loose, aggressive or passive)
-even after winning a pot, try to ask your opponent how much more money could he have made. (Would you have called a bet of X if I didn’t bet Y)
-if after doing this, you are not happy with how good you are, you most likely will never be: this is where most people plateau. Remember, if you are winning stacks of money in low stakes games, why move to high stakes games, you are winning stacks of money.
-remember that high stakes games put pressure on amatuer players, yet you should play the same as you do low stakes games, and remember, only gamble with what you can afford.
Any questions, feel free to ask me or to just discuss poker. burnsielaxplayer@yahoo.com
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Study body language.
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I agree with body language, but you should have a cursory knowledge of the percentages so you know what your odds are.
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dont raise if you have nothing… always just bet minimum… when the flop comes out if you still have nothing FOLD!!!
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two good ones……..
1) if you have an Amazing first 2 cards, go gentle and check where possible in order to keep other players in the game
2) if you have been losing a lot and not putting big bets down already, putting in a huge bet on awful cards can sometimes get you to win big as you bluff the others into folding.
also one last tip change your mannerisms often to stop the others from reading your game….
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I'll try to help with what I can, but you probably know a lot of it.
1) Get books, study, read and watch
Don't drink and play poker
2) Don't fall in love with a hand, you got to be able to let it go.
3) Take breaks while playing, revive yourself.
4) Play quality hands
5) Pay attention to betting patterns, position, whether or not the other people at the table are loose, tight, ect…
6) If you feel yourself getting upset from a bad beat, take a few hands off.
7) Get good sleep and eat well
9) Take notes on the people you play against regularly. Study those notes, so that you can see what they have a habit of doing in certain situations.
10) Don't play with money you can't afford to lose, it can cause you to play too tight and cautious.
11) Know the odds, and outs you have.
12) Practice, practice, practice, the more you play the more hands you see and the better you will get.
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Too vague of a question. For what limits? High or low? Fixed, Pot or No? Cash games or tournies? Short handed or Long handed?
If you're going to be that vague, then my answer will be too:
Take notes.
Play the man, not the cards.
Learn about outs.
Learn about playing in position.
References :
allow me to preface this by saying that I am 16 years old and consider myself a good poker player. I have won many non-affiliated tournaments(high and low stakes). First off, only gamble with money that you can survive without. The main goal for most amatuer poker players should be to have fun. Therefore, if you are playing with nonessential money, you have fun either way. It sounds like you consider yourself a decent poker player, and through hard work, your skills will increase rapidly.
suggestions:
-practice practice practice practice with friends, family, coworkers, neighbors at least once a week for low stakes (5-10 dollar buy in)
-watch as much poker as possible (ESPN, FSN, ESPN Classic, Travel channel)
-when watching different players, try to guess what they will do when they are placed in different situations
-after you can consistently predict what players will do (70% or more of the time) start researching:
*top ten hands
*bottom ten hands
*and simply the odds of certain hole cards beating other hole cards
-there are two ways of doing this. One is to research online for poker odds and whatnot. The way I did it may seem obsessive and excessive, but I believe it is essential for any serios poker player. For about a week, deal cards face up to 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 players depending on where your weaknesses lie. Do this for about an hour a day until you have seen pocket aces at least four times, this is the easiest way to keep track. Even you can take two cards out of the deck which you would like to research and deal to the remaining imaginary players. This way you can target certain areas of hole cards (pocket pair, low pocket pair, suited connectors, unsuited connectors, ace and high card, ace and low card). This is when poker players develop their basic poker strategy, in general–if, how, and when to play or not to play certain hands.
-poker tells: I believe that one cannot learn to read poker tells, but if you claim to be a decent poker player than im sure you have some ability to read opponents' hands.
-Next, use these skills in your weekly poker games that you should be having.
-Again, only gamble with money that you can live without
- one thing that many amatuer poker players are scared about is playing post flop. This is what separates many amatuers from professionals. Focus focus focus on betting patterns preflop. (Did he limp in the pot with a marginal hand? (watch out for a low flop). Did he raise pre flop with a strong hand? (watch for strong flop and a continuation bet). Did he call out of position?(this is considered by many to be equivalent to making a slight raise).
-learn how to calculate pot odds online. But always keep in mind how many chips you have in front of you. And use pot odds to help determine how to bet, or if to call, reraise, or fold after a bet. But always keep in mind the type of player that is betting or raising (tight or loose, aggressive or passive)
-even after winning a pot, try to ask your opponent how much more money could he have made. (Would you have called a bet of X if I didn’t bet Y)
-if after doing this, you are not happy with how good you are, you most likely will never be: this is where most people plateau. Remember, if you are winning stacks of money in low stakes games, why move to high stakes games, you are winning stacks of money.
-remember that high stakes games put pressure on amatuer players, yet you should play the same as you do low stakes games, and remember, only gamble with what you can afford.
Any questions, feel free to ask me or to just discuss poker. burnsielaxplayer@yahoo.com
References :
personal experience and books
Holy cats! You can study poker all your life and not 'master' it.
First, I would say ignore most of the answers on this page. There is a lot of bad advice.
Second, depending on what type of hold'em you are playing, purchase the appropriate book by David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth. Also buy DS' book: The Theory of Poker.
Learn about pot odds and how they should affect your decisions, starting hand strengths and how they change relative to your table position, and counting outs.
Some truisms:
1. Play more conservatively in early position (first three positions after the big blind.)
2. Aggression is best. Even with monster hands.
3. Play only high win percentage hands.
4. Fold alot.
5. Don't call large bets pre-flop unless you have a monster hand. In those cases, you should probably raise anyway.
6. Don't chase straights and flushes, or many other mediocre hands, unless the pot odds show you're getting a good price.
Good Luck!
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Don't stick with a/an OK/great hand if there is a good chance someone will beat you.
Example:
Middle cards are: 7s 3c As 3s
You have: 3h Kh
There are 3 other players in.
blinds are 1$-2$
You are last. The first person bets checks. The second person bets 20$. The third person calls. You should FOLD. I know its hard to believe but 20$ is a lot of money and the odds of winning are against you especially since someone called. Learn to let go of hands and you will prosper.
Good luck!
I HIGHLY agree with the person on top of me!
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