Poker is a lot of fun at any level, but at higher levels of play becomes a whole new kind of game.
The difference between players that are just starting and professional players is not luck, but how to make your own luck and take advantage of the situation you are in.
Here are some tips to level up your poker game.
Know When To Fold
If you watch live poker, particularly at big events that go on for a very long time, what you will often notice is just how few hands are played.
Especially early into a table, many pro players will not just refuse to play a hand but immediately fold plenty of hands.
As fun as actually calling and getting into the action is, the biggest rookie error for players is playing too many mediocre or even bad hands.
This can be either because they’re not familiar with the playing range for their hand or simply because they want in on the action.
The more you understand the game, the more you fold. Yet despite this, the fewer hands you’re in the more chance you have of success in the game overall.
Don’t Throw Good Money After Bad
Throwing good money after bad is a very common and all true saying about not committing to a bad situation in the hopes of making it good.
If you are currently in the hand, it can be so very tempting to commit to the showdown, however, if you are certain that you are beaten, and there’s little that the community cards (or draws) can do to change it, then get out when you realise it.
It can sting to knowingly leave behind money, but it’s better to only lose a little, then commit and lose more.
Bluff Only When It’s Right
Bluffing, both online and at the casino is an incredible psychological tactic that has proven invaluable at higher levels of play. But you don’t always need to do it.
Poker is a game about people as much as chance. Instead of trying to bluff players for the sake of it, learn about your players and how they tend to play the game and certain hands.
Bluffing can be an inspired move to keep a player in a hand when you are almost certain to win or to do enough to throw a good player off their game, but it needs to be done right.