For beginners, learning how to play real money poker is a steep learning curve. A little knowledge can get you started, but as you progress up the ladder, you will need a completely new set of knowledge to generate money. This information might save you a lot of time and money if you are a newbie poker player. To become a successful real money poker player, follow these guidelines.
Don’t Play Too Many Hands
One of the most common mistakes new players make is not selecting their poker hands carefully enough. Do not make the usual mistake of believing that “any hand can win.”
Even if this is accurate, some hands are more likely to win than others, and a rookie player may not be able to distinguish between them. As a result, choose the hands you want to play.
Don’t bluff too much
Another prevalent misunderstanding among newcomers is that in order to win, you must bluff. On the World Series of Poker, you may see some spectacular bluffing, but these are professional players with a lot more expertise in high-stakes events. Play your cards well and keep it simple. It’s fun to try a few bluffs now and again, but the true art of knowing when and how to bluff comes with experience.
Play Against Players Worse Than You
This may appear to be a basic advice, but you would be astonished at how many players ignore this issue. It makes sense that if you are better than the players you are competing against, you will win in the end. Sitting at a table with the top nine poker players in the world would not be profitable if you were the 10th best player in the world. Choose from a variety of games and activities.
Don’t Jump in at the High Limit
If you are a newbie, there are two reasons why you should not play a high-stakes game. First, players who play high-stakes games are better than those who play low-stakes games. There is a slim possibility you will be able to defeat them. Second, you should merely test the waters at first, rather than diving right in. Play with restrictions so that even if you lose, you will not lose all of your money.
Don’t Be the First Player to Limp
As the first player to enter a pot, limping (simply calling the large blind before the flop) is a no-no. This play should be avoided for two primary reasons:
- You will not be able to win the pot before the flop if you raised.
- You provide the players behind you incredibly appealing pot odds, increasing your chances of facing several opponents and thereby decreasing your chances of winning the pot.
Fold When You’re Unsure
What is the most significant distinction between a bad player and a professional player? When a good player believes they are beaten, they can lay down a good hand like top pair.
This may appear to be an easy task, but it is difficult to accomplish in practice due to the structure of our brains. We have a natural curiosity for new things and a natural desire to succeed. We give up our chance to win when we fold.
The second fastest way to lose at poker is to call too much and in the wrong situations (after ineffective bluffs). Do yourself a favour and fold whenever you are undecided whether to call or fold facing a bet or raise.
Make a note of the details of the hand when you fold in one of these circumstances so you may try to figure out if you made the appropriate fold after your session. Studying and/or debating these types of hands is an excellent approach to keep your abilities sharp and fill up any knowledge gaps you may have.
Only Play If You Feel Like It
Whether you are a recreational player or a professional, poker should be a pleasurable experience. You will perform best when you are pleased, thus it is only natural that you should play this cognitively demanding game when you are in that mood.
If you start to feel frustrated, tired, or angry, you should end the session now. You are most likely conserving your money.
Only Play in Good Games
This is as true now as it was when Matt Damon’s character, Mike McDermott, uttered it in Rounders (1998). You must play against weaker players than yourself if you want to win in poker.
Consider this: if you are the world’s ninth best poker player, you will be the best player at practically every table. If you join a table with those eight players who are better than you are, though, you will become the sucker.
Above all, make sure that you put yourself in a position where you have the best chance of winning big.