Poker is a card game where players make bets on the outcome of their hand. The bets are made with plastic or ceramic discs called chips, and the game is played using a standard deck of 52 cards.
A player’s chances of winning depend on their strategy, luck and the skill of other players. It’s a game that can be played by people of all skill levels, and it’s easy to get started if you have a few chips.
When you first start playing poker, it’s important to develop some basic strategies. These will help you improve your odds of winning and increase your bankroll.
1. Play the Player, Not Your Cards
One of the most common phrases in poker is “play the player, not your cards”. This means that you should always compare your hand to the other players at the table and how they stack up to each other.
2. Avoid Sandbagging
Many beginner players tend to sandbag, or not bet too much on their hand until the river. This can be a big mistake. In fact, it’s one of the biggest mistakes a novice player can make.
3. Study ONE Topic Per Week
Too many players jump around in their studies, studying various topics each week. This doesn’t leave enough time for in-depth study and understanding. This is why it’s important to focus on ONE topic at a time and really grasp it before moving on to the next one.
4. Don’t Fold Every Hand You Are Dealt
A lot of beginner poker players will fold every hand they’re dealt. They will do this because they’re afraid to lose, or because they think their hand is weak. This is a big mistake and it can cost you money down the road.
5. Only Bet When You Have A Premium Opening Hand
Another popular poker saying is to only play the best of hands. This is a great way to win more money, but it’s also a bad strategy if you want to enjoy the game and not feel like you’re wasting your time.
6. Don’t Over-Bet When You’re Against a Bad Player
This is another phrase that’s very commonly heard in poker and can be a good thing to keep in mind when you’re playing against a bad player. Too many beginners will over-bet when they’re against a bad player, and this can lead to losing money in the long run.
7. Only Call When You’re Against a Good Player
In poker, a good player is someone who can make a solid decision based on incomplete information about their opponent’s cards and how they react to it. This can be a difficult task, but it’s very important to do so if you want to be a strong poker player.
To learn more about poker, you should watch a video on cbets on Monday, read a podcast on tilt management on Tuesday, and then read a chapter on ICM in your poker book on Wednesday. By doing this, you’ll be able to get more out of your poker studies and you’ll spend less time bouncing around between different concepts.