5 Simple But Powerful Poker Tips For Beginners

Are you someone who understands poker basics, but wants to move forward? We’ve collected 5 powerful poker tips for beginners that will help to set your path straight. 

Jumping from one thing to another not knowing what really helps to improve the game, is a common feeling among those who are rather new to the field. To successfully grow you need to have a plan. 

Exactly for this reason we have managed an informative list of how to improve your chances at the table. Following it step by step will keep you focused, improve your self-esteem in poker and will generally take you closer to being a better player.

1. Learn the game

Yes, easy as that. By this we mean: game rules, positions at the table and their importance, hand rankings, poker vocabulary, strategy and playing styles.

Thinking it is enough to know a few hands or that you can improve your game by simply sitting at the table is really just a waste of time. Sure, you would learn something on the go, but losing would be a constant matter. 

Speaking about the rules. Funny thing is, there are many types of poker games, but Texas Hold’em is so popular that many new players think knowing poker rules is just understanding Hold’em. But maybe you’d be more interested in mastering Omaha or OFC?

For our Open Face Chinese Poker fans we have an OFC Crash course, which is prepared by the OFC “Progressive” World Champion and Coinpoker member Isabelle Mercier “NoMercy”. The lessons are absolutely free and analyze the game in detail. Using her poker tips will give any OFC player a great advantage in a game.

Moving on to positions at the table. These are often overlooked by the beginner players. The truth is, every position should be played differently. You should be shifting your poker strategy depending on your position at the table. Seems like a small detail, but has a great potential. 

Now, poker hands are often the first thing beginner players are looking for. And that’s a good thing. Just don’t forget that they are nothing, unless you know how to play them. 

And the last thing we wanted to mention here was poker strategy and playing styles. Every single hand and table might require a bit of a different poker strategy. Don’t stick just to one. Also, analyze your opponents playing style and use it to your advantage.

This first step out of 5 poker tips is a solid ground for your poker future, don’t take it lightly. 

2. Start slow. Low stakes, 1 table at a time

You sure want to jump to big winnings right away, but this is only a good idea if you are willing to lose big money. Don’t worry, if you practice enough you will find yourself at high stake tables in no time, but to start and to sharpen your skills, make sure that you are in a place where you are comfortable to lose.

Low stake tables will allow you to feel the game already, but will still keep you in a comfort zone regarding the financial side of it. This way losing won’t hurt, but winning will increase understanding of the game and motivation to keep on moving. 

To add, low stakes is also where your level playing field is. Usually the higher the stakes, the better the players. You don’t want to be a prey to some serious poker sharks. Take your time and you’ll be able to compete with them. 

Also, by saying ‘be slow’, we mean play only one table at a time. You might want to see how your screen looks with 8 poker tables open, but don’t do that until you are sure you can handle it. For a practice mode it is best to focus all of your attention on one table.

If it seems boring, test your knowledge on the players at the table. Observe them, analyse their behavior. See if you can recognize their playing style, try guessing their card and understand your situation in the game. This is only possible if you have all your focus in one place. 

3. Conquer the math

The word can cause goosebumps for some, but trust us when we say that knowing poker math can be something distinguishing you completely from other players. It’s one of the most important poker tips. It can bring you to another level as soon as you grasp how it works. Poker math is extremely powerful so make sure to analyse poker odds charts, possibilities, outcomes and other numbers. Have a cheat sheet at hand if necessary and count what your hand can possibly bring you. 

Of course, having figured out the poker numbers will not guarantee you win on every single hand, however it will highly increase your chances of being a really successful poker player in the long run. 

4. Fold 

There is nothing worse than playing every hand in poker. It’s just a sign of a really incompetent player. It will also lead you to bankruptcy. You must learn to let go of hands that don’t promise anything. There are of course examples when having nothing reversed to a pot winning hand, but these stories are an absolute exception. 

Sometimes you should also consider folding hands that might seem to have potential. Like a borderline good pocket pair for example. Because if you see a passive player suddenly start raising, chances are he’s holding a good hand and most probably better than yours. This, of course, depends on who you are playing against and if you’ve learned the lesson about poker playing styles and strategies. 

5. Take time to think

This is often forgotten but it’s very important, especially in the beginner player stages. As someone who is not yet an advanced player, but wants to get there, you need to make sure you take enough time to think about the game and observe it. Do not make your decisions automatically.

If you apply everything that was mentioned above to the game (which takes time, at least at first) you will see the results and will feel better at where you are with your poker skills. Plenty things to think about, so don’t rush with your decisions at the table. 

How to lose and still be a winner?

These poker tips unfortunately will not prevent you from losing. Losing is something inevitable in a poker game. Make sure to learn from the situation, adapt and keep on moving forward. 

Don’t worry if at first you don’t get the results you are aiming for. Poker, just as everything you want to be good at, requires knowledge and practice. The more you practice the better you will get.

Coinpoker app is a great place to put your knowledge to the test whether you are a beginner or an advanced player. We have something for everyone!

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