Basic Online Poker Strategy for the First Time Player

Poker is one of the most popular online/offline games in the world. In fact, it’s so popular today that it’s deemed a sport that professionals can take part via tournaments all over the world. If you want the same lifestyle as the pros, it’s first important that you get the basics right by playing poker online. Here are a few basic rules that will get you on the road to becoming a poker professional.

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Don’t Play All Good Hands

Beginners should really be flopping 80% or more of the time – even when they’re dealt good hands. Why? More often than not, players around the same table will still have better hands thanks to a kicker that could swing the hand in their favour. So, even a pair of Jacks could get you in trouble. Therefore, it’s wiser to go ahead and play a hand that you’re much more confident in winning. This strategy will also help you play a tight game and could work in your favour when you try to call a bluff. Others know you’re playing a tight game and you only go in when you’re confident of winning.

Table Selection is Crucial

The last thing you want to be doing as a poker newbie is playing against players who are aggressive and play a tight game (due to experience). You really need to be playing against players who lack even more experience than yourself. Table selection is especially important as a beginner – it’s the difference in gaining confidence quickly and losing it just as quick. You can find out more about table selection by searching in Google. Playing against worse players will only help you walk away with more winnings but, more importantly, could help you quickly learn from their mistakes.

Take Your Chances with Aggressive Play

When you’re happy with your hand and you haven’t played every deck, it’s time to get aggressive with your strategy. Players already know you’re playing a tight game because you’ve folded four of the last five hands, which would suggest you’re playing with something decent. This is the perfect time to raise the bar and add to the pot, just so others add to it (if they think you’re bluffing). The more aggressive you play when you’re confident of winning: the more winnings you take from that particular round. A good way of implementing an aggressive strategy is to practise on video poker games on PlaySugarHouse Casino.

Always Take Your Time

Different poker players have different styles. Some like to think quickly and get their money on the table, whereas many others take their time and think about their opponent’s cards. There’s nothing wrong in either strategy but, as a beginner player, it’s much more important to take your time and make the right choices.

Don’t bluff too much, be aggressive when you’re confident you have a chance, select the right tables, and you’ll find you will have a much bigger advantage over the other beginner players and walk away with a decent pay packet. Although bluffing is a good part of poker, it’s not crucial you have the ability to do it, as there are much more clever ways to win a game.