Beginner’s guide to poker

Hand selection, table position, learning board texture, adopting pre-flop and post-flop strategies and bankroll management are fundamental new lessons for the beginner poker player and low stakes online poker is where amateur players need to start. $0.01/$0.02 to $0.25/$0.50 will give new players a learning perspective without sending them broke from variance or making mistakes.

In this strategic article, the World Gambling List will provide a quick “Poker for Dummies” hub to help new and existing players educate themselves on the game that “takes a lifetime to master” – Poker.

So, here are 5 fundamental lessons to get you playing a more profitable style of cards.

1. Know your Hand Ranges

If you play too many hands you’ll eventually end up broke. If you don’t play enough hands you’ll miss out on too many spots to win a good pot. Learn a good balance of starting hands vs your position on the table vs the opponents also in the pot. Never go into the hand just thinking about your holdings. Think about your hole cards and what you need to make that hand stronger, size up the person whose chips you need to win the game and analyse them well.

2. Understand Table Position

After a new player knows how to choose a hand without busting themselves; position is solely the most important awareness to have at the poker table. If you’re unfamiliar with the term – “Position”, simply means where you sit on the table relative to the dealer button. The earlier your position in the round of betting the harder it is to play your hand.

3. Analyse the Flop, Turn and River

Learning a profitable pre-flop hand selection is one thing but what do you do when you see a flop that doesn’t suit or confuses you and an opponent bets ? Certain hands play well for certain reasons and it will cost you money getting stuck overplaying or underplaying a hand because you don’t know how to read where you are in the pot.
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4. Bankroll Management and Game Selection

If you are to succeed at playing poker and not just represent shark food then these two primary skills must be harnessed and followed with due care. New players with a high variance or marginal win rate should have at least 20 buy-ins for any limit that they are playing online and playing a game or an opponent within your skillset or price range is a necessity. This means if you are playing 0.01c/0.02c you should have $40 ready to handle the variance, if you are playing $0.25c/$0.50c, then you should have $1000, and so on. By following these guidelines, you will ensure that you will never go busto and are always seated on a table doing what you are here to.

5. Variance and Tilt

First, a new player should learn the odds of winning and losing and learn how to win or lose graciously but many existing players are still guilty of displaying poor table etiquette; humility is a virtue and anger will only cost your money. More so, a poker player must analyse every decision big or small as ignorance or a misread can drastically their bankroll and one’s attempt at victory. When losing or playing bad, it is very important to recognise the signs of tilt and harness your emotions or quit for the session.