Poker Tips


Tips for Playing Poker

(Photo by Jean Scheijen)
(Photo by Jean Scheijen)
  1. Find your game. While Texas Hold 'Em may be the most popular poker game currently played in the United States, there are dozens of other poker variations including draw and stud games like Five-Card Draw and Seven-Card Stud. If you like community games, but just can't get in the Texas Hold 'Em groove, give Omaha Hold 'Em a try.
  2. Learn the game by playing online. If you're new to the game and don't want to learn the ropes on the casino floor, you can learn to play poker at any number of online sites for free and at your own pace. The best part of online poker is that the computer will tell you when it's your turn and what all of your possible playing options are. It's a great way to get up to speed on poker hand rankings and betting.
  3. Play freerolls. Freerolls are free online tournaments which allow you to play at no cost. If you win the tourney, you get a real cash award.
  4. Follow proper etiquette. If you're playing with your friends, they may be more forgiving, but if you're playing in a casino, pay attention to etiquette. Nothing screams "beginner" more than saying, "I call your bet and raise you $X." In betting, your initial action is your final action. If you want to call, just say "call." If you want to raise, say "raise" followed by the amount you want to raise.
  5. Fold more. If you have a weak hand, fold. Television makes it look as though every hand is played. It isn't.
  6. Play the cards in your hand. Don't count on new cards to give you the winning hand. Play the cards you're dealt. If they're lousy, fold.
    (Photo by Kiel Latham)
    (Photo by Kiel Latham)
  7. Only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling is an easy way to lose a lot of money fast. Set limits for yourself before playing poker in a casino, practice online beforehand and call The National Council on Problem Gambling if you think you have a problem.
  8. Calculate pot odds. If your hand could stand to be improved, calculating pot odds can help you decide how much to call. The formula is based on how many cards you need to complete a winning hand and the number of cards that have been played.
  9. Recognize common tells. Reading a tell involves making a guess about the possible cards in an opponent's hand based on a detectable change in his or her behavior or demeanor. Do not stake money on your ability to read tells. However, there are a few common tells that novices may not be able to hide. The most common ones include:
    • A player's excitement over a strong hand can activate his or her adrenaline gland causing his or her hands to shake, face to flush and pulse to race.
    • Disinterest or casual conversation may mean that the player is trying to disguise a strong hand. In contrast, a loud, aggressive demeanor may be disguising a strong hand.
    • A player with a strong hand may subconsciously keep his or her hand over his cards and look back at them frequently.
  10. Vary your game. Don't be too predictable. You don't want your behavior to give your cards away. Play in an unexpected way every once in awhile. You might even throw a bluff just to throw people off.
    (Photo by Camila Dequech)
    (Photo by Camila Dequech)
  11. Do not overvalue a suited hand. Do not play a hand just because all the cards are of the same suit. Consider the ranks of the cards first, then whether or not they are paired. These are more important factors than whether or not a hand is suited.
  12. Play high pairs fast. For Texas Hold 'Em players, come on strong, before the flop, if you're holding a high pair or especially strong hand. This will encourage people to put more money in the pot early on and force out players with weak hands who might otherwise get lucky after the flop.
  13. Practice reading the flop. Texas Hold 'Em players should get good at scanning the flop and determining the best possible hand that could be created with the community cards. Is there a possible straight or flush in the flop? Who hit it? Who didn't? PokerSyte.com recommends sitting out a few rounds, reading the flop and seeing how players react to it.
  14. Make friends with the player to your left. According to Ashley Adams at CardChat, a friend to your left is less likely to raise you and more likely to believe you when you want him or her to think your raise means you have a strong hand (and he or she should fold.)
  15. Keep learning even if you're not in the hand. Just because you've folded or are sitting out a hand, doesn't mean you can't learn from what's going on at the table. Practice counting down the pot, keeping track of discards and observing other players.
  16. Learn the lingo. While it won't necessarily help your play, it's fun to bust out some poker lingo with your friends. Texas Hold 'Em, in particular, has an entire slang vocabulary built up around the two hole cards dealt to players at the beginning of the game.
  17. Study up. There are dozens of poker websites, strategy books and articles that will help you improve your game. If you really want to get good, you need to study up.
  18. Practice makes perfect. All work and no play makes you a dull player. After you've put down your copy of Super System, go online, hit the tables or call some of your poker-playing cohorts because, as they say, practice makes perfect.

Have any more great tips for playing poker? Post your tips to the discussion board or email them to Julia: Julia at mahalo dot com.

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