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Essential Poker Tips

Poker tips are important for anyone learning the game, not only because they often provide some good pointers, but also because they are usually given from people who have made all the mistakes already. They give you insight into known pitfalls and common mistakes that other players have made and the lessons that they have learned along the way. My father used to make this very point and although it took me a long time to start listening to him, i have to admit, he had a point. He has been in my shoes and had been there done it. The same goes for poker, or anything else for that matter. What's more, at the end of the day, you have the choice whether to listed to advice or ignore it, so you've nothing to lose either way.

An important part of every poker players life is life away from the tables, if not only to get a break from the game and have time to reflect on their game. Professionals from all other sports take time away from the game and poker is no different. The tips on this page are particularly important when playing online poker but are also relevant in live games. The difference between those that win and those that lose is that dedicated players that pay enough attention to their game to know when a tip will improve their game. Sometimes the best thing to do to stop a losing streak (which happens to us all) is to take some time away from the tables, reflect and then start afresh.

Poker Tips On the Flop

Tip #1 - Abandon Bad Flops

If the flop doesn't provide potential, abandon it. It is very expensive to hope that you make something on the turn or river. Don't feel obliged to play every hand. You must be patient and understand that if you continually force chips in the pot when you have no real potential on the flop, it is highly probable that you will lose your chips in the long run. Get your chips in the pot when you hit something on the flop, otherwise fold.

Tip #2 - Inside Straight Draws

Don't waste chips betting inside straight draws. They are not ideal to bet with unless the pot is of a substantial amount or there is little chance that you will be called or raised. You should play these in similar fashion to small or medium pairs. Get in cheap and fold if you miss.

Tip #3 - Flush & Straight Draws

A flush or outside straight draw on the flop provides plenty of potential. If there are others in the pot, try to raise. If it doesn't scare people off don't be scared to get your money in the pot, as you will win your fair share of these hands (the odds are very often on your side). On the flop if you have a flush and straight draw you are likely the favorite so be aggressive as you have a lot of outs.

Tip #4 - Don't Overplay Straight Draws

With the exception of the later stages in tournament play (see our guide on the structure of poker tournaments) where you have to be more aggressive to protect your blinds, players often overplay straight draws. There are 2 ways to look at this. Either you can raise and try to scare players out of the pot in the hope that you will win the pot OR you can try to make your straight or flush as cheaply as possible and then raise when you have the best hand. Sometimes the potential of making a hand can lead you to overcoming, trying to chase cards. Get in cheap and raise when you have the hand.

Top #5 - Playing Pocket Pairs

Pocket pairs with over cards that haven't made trips on the flop are not good hands to get involved with. The chance of improving on the turn and river is very small. As long as you are not committing a large proportion of your stack to see the flop (with a small pocket pair), get your money in on the cheap (see cheap flop). If you have a pair of deuces, for example, and you hit a 2 on the flop you have a very good chance of doing some damage to players who have made top pair or two pairs. The trick here is to see the flop, if you miss, be prepared to fold with a raise (unless you have good reason to think you are ahead).

Tip #6 - Scare Cards

It is important to identify scare cards. What we mean here is cards that can make your opponents a potential hand. Think of it like this: Three consecutive or close cards might very well give someone a straight draw. Two consecutive cards may give two pair. A two flush on the board significantly reduces the potential of a straight draw you may hold and one in four of the cards you are waiting for could possibly give someone a flush.

In poker, knowing your scare cards will help you know when to slow down. What we mean here is that you could hold an ace high straight draw on the turn. Now if there were 4 different suits on the board and no paired cards that would be real potential however if there were 4 of any one suit on the board it is more than likely that someone will have made a flush and so going crazy isn't a good idea. The fourth club would have been a real scare card as a player would only need one of that suit in their hand to made the flush. So even if there was 10, J, Q and you held AK of a different suit you would not want to call a big raise. Getting married to your cards affects many players who just can't lay down a good hand, even when they know they are probably dead in the water. A good player would know that a flush beats any straight (except a straight flush), and would fold to a sizeable bet.

Learn to identify scare cards will also help protect your bankroll.

Poker Tips on the Turn

On to the Turn, the stakes increase and very often the round of betting sees more cash bet in attempts to win the pot.

Tip #1 - The Check Raise

When you have a scorcher of a hand, try to check raise at times as you're often checking less good hands on the turn anyway. This way, your opponent will not be able to read your hand effectively. When you check, your opponent will often make a value bet to see if you have anything. It is a good idea to check raise, especially if the board has the potential to get dangerous. If you had bet to start with your opponent may not have put in a value bet so you have maximized your ROI. You have therefore forced your opponent to part with more of their money by good solid play. This is one of the most common plays in Poker. A good player however will not bust out to this as they will know how to value bet. Playing weak players this is extremely profitable as you will win more pots than your opponent hits. This is a key tip to winning at poker. Use this move.

Tip #2 - Acknowledge Bets and Raises

In low limit games, the quality of players often means that bluffing is not so common (or easy), largely due to low skill at the table. From this you can then safely assume that:

If a player raises on the turn, it is more likely than not that they have a premium hand (or enough to beat you). This is especially true when there are more than just the two of you in the pot. However, there is always an opportunity here as if you have trips, a straight or a flush, your opponent will often find it difficult to lay down top pair. Don't raise too much as several small bets here could maximize your winnings and will ensure that the pot keeps increasing (which will make it more difficult for your opponents to fold).

Tip # 3 - Don't Over bet on Draws

On the turn, the probability for making your hand is substantially lower than on the flop (less cards left in the deck and less cards to come). Don't commit too many chips here as you will have more chance scaring off your opponent than hitting one of your outs. Remember it is more profitable to put money to the pot after you have made your hand. Get in cheap, make your hand and then raise it up.

Poker Tips on the River

Tip #1 - Checking a Weak Hand

If you have a pair and you have been called every bet you have made, you should probably check on the river and acknowledge that you are likely behind. The reason for this is that it is unlikely that your opponent would have called more than one bet with a hand worse than yours. The exception here is if there are possible straight of flush draws on the board and then scare cards don't materialize. You may think that your opponent has missed and might want to call a weak bet. Again it is down to judgment. Another exception here is when your intention is to bluff your opponent out of the pot on the river. Don't try this in lower limit games as the players are not skilled enough to know when they are beat. Your opponent will likely try this again and again (if he tries it once). Catch him when you have a hand. Be patient, your hand will come. Players will tend to try a successfully move again and again until you catch them and hopefully take down a big pot.

Tip #2 - Seeing it Through

Here is a useful piece of advice. Frequently on the river there is enough money in the pots to make it worthwhile calling a bet, even if you are unsure if you have the best hand. It may be that you know you are behind. Remember, if your opponent makes a small bet on the river and bet the flop and turn aggressively, this may indicate that they are trying to steal the pot with an undersized bet, which indicates weakness (although often means they are looking for a raise..be careful).

The Best of All - Money Management

Money management is key to your success and advice on this will probably the best you will get today. Get silly and you run the risk of wiping out your bankroll. You may be good and in the space of a year win lots of money BUT, poker is such that luck does play a factor and whilst you win in the long run (being better than your opponents), opponents will get lucky. In poker there are "swings and roundabouts" ...you will lose no matter how good you are, and that is a fact.

Sometimes you will lose to what seems the luckiest player in the world and will be cursing your luck, but face the fact that it is part of the game and make sure you have the bank balance to support your losses. If you are playing no limit poker, don't take your whole bankroll to the table. You should only be taking about 10% of your bankroll to the table which will allow for any bad runs. After all, what if you get a full house and go all in in a very strong position, only to find out to your amazement that your opponent has made a bigger full house! Take your whole bankroll to the table and you are out the game.

Remember your bankroll is everything. It is the only thing that will keep you in the game. Employ these poker tips to your game and i wish you good luck.

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