You have been playing poker for many months yet you feel something is missing? You feel that even though you know how to play it, you can’t find that excitement? Do you think that you need to get that race when you play poker? When you are playing with your friends, are you not able to take big risks? Do you keep checking the bet and not call or raise it? You are always in a dilemma about your next step?
All these are symptoms of a novice. Being a novice is never really bad. Everyone is a novice when they begin. Everyone has their losses and defeats initially. Only through practice and the right strategy does one start to win.
To win exactly is not even the idea behind any game. Poker or any other game that you play should always be played with a spirit of sportsmanship. It is a game after all! If you only play to win, it is neither good for your pocket nor for your mind.
Anyway, we know that you know this. Moving ahead, if you are struggling with your game and want to raise your bar, we have several tips to help you improve.
Never Limp First
Since you cannot win the pot before the flop in poker, you should not call big before the flop. This way you avoid giving other players enticing pot odds. You will less likely to face more players and also raise your chances of winning.
The only time limping is allowed (that is calling big before the flop) is when you do so after a player has already limped before you. This will give you very attractive opportunities to win the pot.
Play Your Strong Hands
You should play your strong hands at higher bets. This way you will build your pot better and also protect your equity. You should check your strong hands in certain cases.
When it is unlikely that you will be outdrawn in poker, you can check your strong hand. When you are not having many scare cards that will prevent you from getting paid on future streets. Also, if your opponent’s hands are heavily leaning towards hands with no showdown value.
In all of the above-mentioned scenarios, you can check your strong hands. It is not always necessary to call or raise your strong hand post-flop.
Play Few Aggressive Hands
You need to set a limit on the number of poker hands you play before the flop in No-Limit Texas Hold’em. You have to first build a strong pre-flop poker strategy in order to improve your bottom line.
You need to keep a check on yourself and play a disciplined game. You should not play more hands that are unworthy of being played. Also, you need to be aggressive on the hands you decide to play on.
If you play all your hands aggressively, you can disguise the strength of your actual hand.
Aggressive Semi-Bluffs with Draws
You need to bluff effectively in poker. When you come across a straight draw, flush draw, or an overcard, it is a good idea to bluff. You need to bluff on hands that have the chance of being raised to a string hand in a later street.
So, the best strategy to bluff is by looking at the cards in hand. Using the above-mentioned technique keeps your bluffing frequency under control. This way you bluff less and more effectively. Your chances of winning in poker increase and you waste fewer opportunities.
Defend Your Big Blinds
When you are playing on a big blind, you are in a better position to win. When you are betting after a big blind in poker, you are the last person to act pre-flop. This gives you the opportunity to call more profitably than others.
Fold When You Are Not Sure
When you suspect that playing a bet will cause you loss, you need to fold. This comes with practice. Yet, whenever you are not sure of what the result of a call will be, do not attempt to bet.
Always hold the urge to know what the result might be if you would have called. This is not a good strategy. You have curiosity to know, yes, but you need to hold it. A wise poker player is the one who has the ability to restrain.
Play Only in Good Games
You need to play poker against players who are weak. Yes, even if you have the urge to defeat the strong players, you need to practise restraint. If you want to win and win big, you have to act tactically.
Only play if at least one player limps regularly. Also, if there are many multiway pots, you should play and re-raises are either rare or very frequent.
These are some of the strategies you can use to win at poker and improve your game over time. You definitely have many more tips and should explore more options. Only your own practice and experience will make you the player you want to be.
