OUR EASY-PEASY
POKER CHEATSHEET Posted on: November 22, 2020
Learning how to play poker is easy. Winning a poker game, however, is an entirely different thing. There several do’s and don’ts that you need to learn if you want to increase your chances of winning a poker table.
While there’s no guide that can immediately turn you into a poker superstar like Phil Ivey or Daniel Negreanu, learning a simple set of poker guidelines can significantly improve your odds of winning a game, especially if it’s against fellow casual players who aren’t familiar with basic poker strategies. If you want to increase your chances of winning at poker, here are a few tips to play smarter at the poker table:
Cheat Sheet Tip #1: Choose the Right Poker Table For Your Skills DON'T: PLAY AGAINST GOOD PLAYERS The first thing that you need to do to increase your chances of winning a poker table is by making sure you are playing people you can beat. You already know that you’re nowhere near the professional level of playing poker, so it only makes sense to avoid playing against people with a higher skill set.
DO: PLAY AGAINST FISH In poker, players who don’t have a lot of experience in the game are called “fish”. You’d want to play against fish if you want to improve your chances of winning, as these players are mostly there for fun and aren’t as competitive as other poker players. They are more prone to making errors and can lose a significant advantage if baited properly. In the same light, you don’t want to be labeled as a fish, too, because it means you’ll have a target on your back. To avoid getting marked as a fish, minimize instances of misplays and losing while ahead.
Cheat Sheet Tip #2: Have Enough Poker Bankroll DO: PREPARE A BIG BANKROLL Poker bankroll refers to the total amount of money that you have available for playing poker. In other words, it’s also the amount of money that you’re prepared to lose in case things don’t go as expected. While luck plays a factor in poker, it evens out at some point and you will need to rely on your skills to level the field. As such, it is essential that you have a big bankroll prepared so you can roll with the punches and survive long enough to win your money back. Experts recommend having at least 30 buy-ins for any limit that you choose to play. For instance, if you choose to play at the lowest limit (which should be 1c/2c with a buyin of $2), ideally you should have at least $60 allotted for the game.
DONT: PLAY WITH A SHORT BANKROLL When you play with a short bankroll, you’re putting your own back against the wall because you’re already limiting your options at the start of the game. You literally can’t afford to make a mistake because you only have a limited amount to spare. In poker, you go through several ups and downs, and this progression is what poker veterans call “variance”. Variance isn’t limited to a single match, sometimes your losing (or winning) streak can extend for days despite perfect decision-making. It’s important to have an adequate bankroll for such instances, otherwise, you’ll end up losing the money completely after one unlucky table.
Cheat Sheet Tip #3: Understand the Winning Chances of Each Hand DON'T: CARELESSLY BLUFF Bluffing is an important part of playing poker, but it’s not wise to continuously bluff without cause. If you draw an unwinnable hand, it’s best to fold and try again on the next round instead of risking a bluff that will surely net you a loss if anyone decides to bite. It’s a high-risk gamble with almost no incentive towards doing so. Bluffing also doesn’t work on fish, since they most likely will just call you out on anything anyway. Instead, bet on your strong cards consistently to create a facade and only bluff on scare cards versus players of lesser skill.
DON'T: LEARN WHEN TO CALL A "PREFLOP" RAISE TO MAXIMIZE YOUR WIN. There are hands that require you to call a preflop raise right away to maximize your chances of winning. If you draw identical pairs such as T-T, 9-9, 8-8, 7-7, 6-6, 5-5, 44, 3-3, and 2-2 or high card duos like A-Q, A-J, K-Q, Q-J, and J-T, it’s smart to go for a preflop raise because you want your opponents to bet against your good hand without relying on the unseen cards in the deck. If your starting hand contains combinations like A-A, K-K, Q-Q, J-J, A-K, T-T, 9-9, A-Q, and A-K, you can even reraise (3Bet) from all positions. If you were lucky enough to draw an A-A or K-K pair, you should re-raise (4Bet) as it’s statistically superior to most possible combinations drawn by your opponents in the same round. At the same time, if an opponent raises a 3Bet or a 4Bet preflop and you’re not holding any of the combinations mentioned above, the best option is to fold.
A FINAL WORD ON PLAYING POKER. There are several ways to play poker, and the tips mentioned above are just a few of the simple tricks a poker player should learn if he (or she) wants to improve his (or her) chances of winning. The tricks mentioned might sound too easy at first, but you’d be surprised at how often even veteran players make mistakes under pressure. Poker requires discipline, commitment, and strategic decision-making to ensure that your chances of winning aren’t entirely up to luck. As long as you stick to the fundamentals discussed earlier, your poker skills should only improve over time. Related Blogs An Expert’s Take on Casino Royale’s Poker Scene Why Do Some Players Prefer Live Casino Games to Slots? What is the Impact of the Coronavirus on Casino Operations? Click link to read more related blogs on our website.