The Do’s and Don’ts of Poker

Poker has become the true sport of kings over the last few years with the introduction of online poker and ESPN’s Poker coverage on TV.

It is true what they say; 'poker takes an afternoon to learn but a life time to master', I could not have worded it myself any better. The only advice that can be given to anyone who just wants to jump into poker without any knowledge is this:

Take it slow.

To many times new players have attempted to win big, and the problem is they always do, the only missing element from ANY form of poker guide is the simple but informative section 'Beginners luck' aspect of the 'sport.' Many new players win their first money game or fun game due to the lack of understanding behind the mechanics of the game and the inability to read other players leads them to rush hands and bet big.

This form of playing leads to big losses in the future when you start to understand the game more meaning you could be more out of pocket then ever when it comes to one of the greatest games in the world, so here is some advice for any new players:

1. Don’t get cocky – New players (sometimes not aware of their actions) start to act 'cocky' in front of seasoned players, this can lead to arguments that never end well. This can also stop people from playing against you next time.

2. Ask for help – Now I do not mean show everyone your hand before betting. If you are unsure how someone won, just ask. You may feel a little stupid for asking, but everyone has to learn some how.

3. Learn to play good hands – Some players will play any hand for the hell of it, only play a hand you think you can win with, don’t just hope that the cards will come out, sometimes they do sometimes they don’t. It is not worth large amounts of money to see if you will get lucky.

4. Bluffing is ok sometimes – Bluffing can get you out of a bad situation if used carefully, make sure the person you are up against isn’t slow playing you*, if it looks like they are chasing** a card then you can turn up the pace by fast betting or making it look like you have a good hand.

5. *Slow play – Slow playing is the easiest way to loose, be careful when playing against someone who looks like they are struggling to decide to match a big bet or raise the bet as these people usually have a really good hand – But if you have a really good hand (for example a full house or flush) then by all means put them out of their misery.

6. Chasing Cards – A problem with many old and new players, when their luck is down and they get a good hand (K A for example) and on the flop two good cards come out and one bad (for example Q J 2) people tend to play on the chance their card will come out (for example in this hand it would be a 10 to make a straight A K Q J 10) which can lead to a lot of lost chips.

7. Betting – This is always a fun one, if everyone checks around to you even a small bet can make people fold giving you a better chance of winning, this is only a good thing to do IF YOU HAVE A HAND if your holding a high card then you have less chance of winning, and remember the Turn and River can always catch you off guard meaning more chips lost.

There are many things a player can do to improve their game at any time, just remember the 7 things mentioned (yes some were advice and others are explanations) as they will help you on your way to winning some good money!

Remember:

Do:
- Play for fun
- Watch people carefully
- Bluff if you have to

Don’t:
- Chase cards as it can kill you
- Be slow played
- Be to cocky

Good luck and remember just to have fun!

Author and copyright: Michael Carpenter wwww.bidpokr.com