Finding practical advice for starting your poker journey can often be challenging. After all, there is so much information available nowadays, so it can be pretty difficult to go on your first step of the way. However, when it comes to poker, getting off to a good start is vital. If you get into negative habits early on, it may hurt your game, and more importantly, your outcomes for quite a long time.
In this article, you will find valuable general poker advice for novice and intermediate players. As the number of gamblers playing online casino in Latvia has increased a lot in recent times, this might be a helpful article.
Be selective with the hands you play
It is critical for new poker players to maintain their hands reasonably tight. This implies you should only play reasonably good hands and never below average. So, what does this precisely mean? This means you should memorize the following for 6 to 9 person cash games:
- For a 6-max match – you should play with 20% of the hands you receive
- For a full ring match – play with the best 15% of the hands you get
Putting it simply, the outcome is that a beginner should fold around 80% to 85% of all hands before the flop is even dealt.
While the strategy may appear a little strange at first, it is highly recommended for everyone without much experience. The reason why you should be folding so many hands is that playing average hands will almost always lead you into trouble. It may also lead you in scenarios when you have a nice hand, such as top pair or a flush, but someone else has a better kicker or flush. Before the flop, one of the finest pieces of advice for beginner poker players is to keep things tight.
Learn when to be aggressive with the cards you have
You’ll want to enter into the pot for a raise when you’re confident in your cards. If you’re the first one to put money into the pool, you should always ask for a raise unless you’re bluffing (which gets us to the next point). In most online games, it’s advocated to raise three times the large blind (usually equal to the minimum bet). In a live poker game, however, you might want to push it a little further.
Don’t bluff too much
One of the most important aspects of winning against weak or inexperienced poker players is to avoid bluffing them too much. The reason behind this is because newbies tend to make calls on too many poor cards. When you raise the stake, making a continuation bet on the next round is usually expected.
However, if you’re called, as inexperienced players have a habit of doing that, it is critical to slow down on the turn and hold if you do not have anything. When dealing with these types of players, having the discipline to not immediately check it down or fold when you don’t have anything is crucial. This is where bluffing comes in, but newer players are not equally receptive to it as experienced ones.
Be prepared to make value bets
One of the many beautiful things about poker is that there is a positive for every negative. For example, if the weaker players do the calls more often, you’ll be able to frequently gamble on value with a broader range of hands. So, against opponents who would call with weak cards like a bottom pair or an ace-high, you can make a value bet against them with hands like the top pair or middle pair.
Keep in mind that betting may be a significant source of profit, which is one of the main reasons why being more knowledgeable about the game can be beneficial. Fortunately for you, inexperienced players tend to play too many hands and simply pay you off.
Play within your bankroll
Before you’re even dealt your first card, be confident that you have at least 20 buy-ins for the game you’re playing in. This means that if you’re participating in a $50 buy-in game, your bankroll should be at least $1000.
The reason you’ll need this much is that poker has many natural ups and downs. This is referred to as ‘’variance’’ in technical terms, though the number varies depending on your experience and knowledge. In a single poker session, you may win or lose as many as five buy-ins. If your whole bankroll consisted of only five buy-ins, you might go broke in a session.
Don’t play with too high stakes
Playing at stakes that you’re comfortable with is an essential step to success for a newbie at poker. Unfortunately, many people will make the error of playing at stakes that are much above their budget, often leading to irresponsible gambling, which we should obviously avoid.
