How to become good, or at least less terrible, at Texas hold ‘em: A novice's guide

 How to be good at Texas hold'em or less horrible: A novice's guide

It's not surprising that, despite our national lockdown, online gambling has seen an increase of 43% and 255% in the number of first-time players. My game is Texas hold'em. I joined Pokerstars with a few friends to play poker. Some were beginners like me and others were experienced players who had played poker professionally. Because I was familiar with the rules of hold'em, it didn't feel like it was a new game to me. Nevertheless, I lost many games during my first few days of quarantine. . . um . . . I lost almost 40 dollars by spending fake dollars perpiece . . Fake . . dollars. Although it was cheaper than eating out or going to the movies in that time frame, it was still frustrating. Although I consider myself to be a smart man, it was hard for me to admit that my performance was poor. There was no way around it. I quit the job after a particularly terrible performance one night.

The one problem was that, as bad as I was, it intrigued me. It was maddening that I couldn’t get it right. I refused to believe it was too difficult or too stupid. I became friends with two very skilled poker players and decided to ask them for their tips. I also watched more closely their play. Within a matter of minutes, I was able to have a series if revelations that totally changed my view on the game. Even more important, it transformed my performance.

If the tournament is only two or three players, K4 suddenly becomes quite strong. Getting a king on flop can make it very probable that you are ahead of everyone. A hand's "goodness" depends on its situation. Something bad in one hand might turn out to be a good hand in another. If you don't have the right hand, hands such as A5, K3, or J9 will be weak with more players than they are suited for. In those cases, it is wise to fold. This will save money and time, and it was what helped me become a solid player. If you have two cards, or a hand such as K10, you should almost always remain in to see what happens. This is something I also didn't know at first. Consecutive low card like 87 is more valuable than a hand such as A4 and is worth playing. If you are lucky enough to hit a straight, or two pairs, you could make a lot from them.

Similar to this, if you hit middle pairs (e.g., J9 and the flop is K94), you will find yourself very weak at large tables. This is because someone has likely another king, but you are stronger in smaller groups. Betting or folding is your choice.

2. Understanding your position

As I stated above, some hands are better with two or three players. But not nine. A nine-person table can become very small if there are enough people who fold before the turn. Let's suppose you're the dealer. The small blind and the big blind are to your right. If the dealer folds and you have the bet with the blinds remaining, you suddenly find yourself at a table of three people. It's worth calling the blinds, or betting over them, to see the flop and win the hand. You should also know that unless your raise is approved, you might find yourself in a hand with eight other players if the big blind is to your left. If that happens, your middling cards may not be so hot.

You have a lot of power when you bet first, right after the flop. If you are certain that you will be leading the betting after the flop and only a few players are playing, you have the option to take a calculated risk, increase your stake and wager more money, knowing that even if nobody has the cards they want, there's a chance everyone will fold. You can always see another card to get out, even if they don’t. Although you may have lost some money, it was worth the risk.

3. Bluff Intelligently

The scenario above shows you "bluff" the other players. Bluffing can be confusing and many people see it as going all-in on bad cards. It's almost always a bad idea. Even if it works occasionally, you'll eventually get beaten down by someone with good cards. To bluff intelligently means to understand when you have a strong position, to realize that on average flops with a small group of players, there is a chance that nobody is getting what they want and to make a calculated wager that may look unfavorable but will not break the bank if someone calls. This holds true even if you're fourth in a bet but everyone checks to see. It's possible that someone is playing possum with amazing cards. However, it's worth placing a larger wager to see if they can exploit your weakness and force them into folding. Most cases you'll win the hand or someone will call. At least you'll see the turn (fourth) card which could help you improve the cards you have. If someone raises, you have the option to flee.

4. Let your bluffs appear just like legitimate bets

What is the bluff that I just mentioned? This should be exactly the same as how you wager if you have great cards and believe you have a good chance of winning the hand. This creates confusion for your opponent. They might think you're weak, so they might fold when you bluff. Jake, my friend and mentor, shared a favorite piece of advice with me. Jake said that if your opponent is caught bluffing, it's okay. The next time you bet again, you might have better cards. And if they raise or call on a similar bet, you can take their money. It's part of the fun of playing poker that you create an aura of strength around you. I chose to do this after playing with a good player who scared me and made me fold several times. I wanted to be scary. One of two responses to a strong player is for people to be scared of you or to want you to take them down. If they make a poor decision based upon these emotions, they'll be forced to pay you.

5. Learn when to fold and be open to being bluffed.

Jake, one the most skilled players in my group was playing head-tohead. He raised me significantly just before the flop. My cards were terrible--96 and not suited. I didn’t know his cards, but I could see from his patterns that he might be bluffing. I also knew that I wouldn’t be able to call him because I didn’t have the cards. I felt a sense of defiance and decided to call him if he was bluffing! I won't be bullied It didn't matter if the guy was bluffing, my cards stinked, and I had very little chance of succeeding regardless of what I was holding. It was not worth the possibility that his cards could be good. I folded.

It is important to remember that poker can be fatal if you feel defiance or hope. We'll talk about the third emotion in a moment. If you don't have enough cards, defiance will make you want to fight someone who puts their weight against your. Hope is worse. It is what keeps you playing, betting money you shouldn't have, and maybe the turn, river, or even the full house will give you the straight or flush you desired. You can get those cards free of charge or for a small fee, but you will not often see them in a strong game. Because other players won't be lucky, every card will cost money. They already have excellent cards, so they don't care if you see less. You don't have to keep calling in order to get the perfect 10, the two diamonds that will give you the flush or any other type of hand. It's a waste of money that adds up quickly. Sometimes you might make a smart flip and the river will bring you the card that you requested. That's okay. That's okay. Sometimes, smart players will know when to check. Once you have strong cards, he'll either call repeatedly or re-raise. Don't spend your good money on bad cards if you don’t have them. Get out. how to become better poker players