8 Poker Tactics for Newbies
Thursday, April 08, 2010
VentureBeat published a great article recently that explains how skill plays an important roll in being not only a successful poker player, but also a successful startup businessman. The poker tactics themselves are just too good not to share, and you can take a look at all eight tips here.
Too many newcomers to the game don't understand how veteran rounders play their hands, and more often than not end up losing a lot of the time. And while that's no different to learning any other sport (practice makes perfect, as they say), there are countless online poker guides out there that will provide you with the information necessary to compete against the big boys.
Even if you've been playing Texas Hold'em for years (or even decades), there's a lot of great info in Emmanuel Marot's article that, if nothing else, will make you sit up and say, "You know what? That's actually a good idea." Who knows, it might just help you win that all-important hand during your next game.
Some of the best excerpts from the feature include:
"Don't fall in love with your hand - Sometimes, in a game of Texas Hold'em, players imagine they'll get a monster hand when all they get are promising cards. When the flop, turn and river are revealed, their dreams crash to earth. Novice players tend to stick with their original assumptions and behave as their good fortune is due. Experts cold-bloodedly re-assess the situation."
This is a big one, and not restricted simply to beginners. I'm sure most of us can recall a moment when our pocket Aces were met with a sickeningly low flop that gave us nothing. Still, we soldiered on, calling every bet in the hope that the next card would produce an Ace, or at the very least that no-one else would be able to top our Deuce Aces, despite there clearly being an outside straight draw in the community cards. How very, very wrong we all were.
"Use Probe Bets - Good players sometimes bet money while they know they have very little chance of winning. They push a 'probe bet' only to discover what the other players may have, and often fold if they meet resistance."
No matter where you play your online poker, you are bound to come across probe bettors on a regular basis. While newcomers may feel that they need to hang back for the first few rounds - folding potentially winning hands in the process - sometimes the best defense is a good offense.
"Take meaningful details into account, but no others - Playing a hand isn't just a matter of the cards you hold. It's also about the positions of other players, the stack's size and a million other things. World-class players take those into account, but can learn to disregard the irrelevant details (e.g. your opponent may look like a moron, but you shouldn't take for granted that he is one)."
Just this weekend, I defeated an opponent that had been the chip leader for the majority of the game. By the time the table had whittled down to just the two of us, it was obvious that he was only betting on "sure thing" pocket cards. I recognized this, exploited it with constant betting and smart folding, and eventually won. Identifying facets of your opponent's game is integral to success, but don't be fooled into excessive bets simply because they play like a "moron" - that could be exactly what they want you to think.
You can read all eight poker tactics discussed in the article here, and be sure to let us know of any online poker tactics you have in the comments section below!
- TheDoctor
Posted at 2:20 AM Permalink | Talk on the Poker Forum
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