Games & Entertainment

Poker Master
I’m a newbie at Poker, anything I should know?

Well, it’s my friends birthday on the first of August and he’s having a poker night for around four hours. I’ve only Played Once or twice, but I suspect I can’t rely on Beginners luck this time around. As far as I know none of us are very experienced with the game, so I’m wondering if there is anything I can do to get ahead. And Masters of the Betting around here that could tell me the tricks of the trade?

Hi… some good advice from the last guy. I would just say if you’re looking to get better in the long term, the most important thing You Can do is practice. Playing online is a great way to do that… and You Don‘t have to spend money if you just create an account and play in anything calling a “Freeroll.” You can win money… the sites run them for publicity and to encourage people who like their site to make a deposit.

There are a lot of subtleties to the game… betting patterns and trends you might begin to notice, things your opponents say to you during a hand, positioning at the table dictating bets, etc…. However I would say if You Are looking for something short term to gain an advantage… you should know the basics and play using the fundamentals. Here are some very important tips…

1) Always raise when you have a good hand. This would be considered and limited to any pair over pocket 8′s, A-K or A-Q. You could raise with hands like A-10, A-J, J-K, Q-K, or suited connectors… but for a beginner, it’s probably best to see the community cards first to get a better sense for how you are fairing against the other players.

2) As the other guy mentioned… hands like suited connecters (like 7 of clubs, 8 of clubs) for example, are good because they increase your chances of hitting a straight of flush by a lot. These sould be considered a marginal hand though because it’s still very hard to make a big winning hand like a straight or a flush. For a hand like this… try to see a flop for as cheap as possible.

3) Always bear in mind your position at the table. In other words… your turn for that hand in the betting order. If you are going to be the last to act, and all the players before you folded or just called…raising is a much better idea because nobody has shown much strength.

4) Never be afraid to fold. A good fold is just as important as winning a good pot. If You Think you are beat… you probably are.

5) Try to avoid calling very big best or all-in’s with just a pair. And always be aware of how many suits or connecting cards are visible on the board. Always keep in mind what the best possible 5 card combination would be at every stage of the hand… and weigh your hand against that… plus the probability somebody has that beat.

6) Try to mix up your play. If you are doing to same thing or betting the same amount everytime you have a good hand, people will begin to catch on. Try playing a Very Good hand slow for example. Check, and when your opponent tries to bet and take the pot… crush him.