POKER IS A GAME OF STRATEGY

The following information on poker strategy should help you to improve your skills at the poker table. Before you read this section, you should be familiar with the basic rules of Texas Hold’em and the most common terminology. In case one or two terms are still unclear, you can take a look at our poker glossary at any time.

First of all, this strategy section should help you to learn the basics of poker and to give you the confidence to play in lower limit games. Once you’ve read and understood this section, you should be able to enjoy playing at the poker table and, with a little skill, actually win.

Unlike other casino games, you do not play against the house or the computer, but rather against other players who are, just like you, sitting at their computers. Although the game of poker of course includes a factor of luck which is not to be underestimated, in the long run the better player wins. When one considers that when enough players are playing a large number of hands, then – statistically speaking – over the long run every player will receive as many “good” and “bad” cards as any other player. This means that the “luck” factor is evenly distributed and the player with the better strategy will win. Poker, then, is a game of luck only in the short term, and over the long term a complex game of strategy and skill.

Poker combines mathematical, tactical and psychological elements and is therefore a very versatile game with many different aspects. A well-known saying amongst poker professionals is: "It takes five minutes to learn the game, but a lifetime to master it."

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ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS

As a beginner one should definitely start by playing for Play Money. In this way one can learn the game rules and how to use the software without the risk. Once you’ve played successfully at the play money tables, you can start at the lower limits (2 cents/4 cents, 5 cents/10 cents) on Real Money tables. The rules at Real Money tables are the same but, with real money at stake, you will soon notice that the game is played differently.

10 Suggestions for the Beginner:

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BANKROLL MANAGEMENT

The bankroll is the amount of money a player has at his/her disposal. Before you play, you should put a certain amount of cash to the side for your bankroll. Never play with money that you need for everyday life. Another definition for Bankroll: The money you can afford to lose.

Quality bankroll management is essential for being a successful poker player. As a player, one must also be able to hold up against a long losing streak. One does this with proper money management, a core element of poker skill.

Never bring your entire bankroll to a table. As a basic rule, take a maximum of 5-10% of your bankroll to a table. This rule is especially valid for “Sit and Go” tournaments (tournaments with a limited number of players which start as soon as the number of required players has been met) and cash games. For players who like to play in bigger multi-table-tournaments, we recommend that you risk no more than 2% of your bankroll. Since between 500 and 2000 players usually take part in such tournaments on the Internet, it’s difficult for even the best of players to get into the money. Your bankroll decides for you which limits are right for you.

Don’t forget that when you cash out you are reducing the size of your bankroll, which then becomes more susceptible to fluctuations. Following a cashout, you should move to lower limits more in line with your bankroll.

Take a break when you’ve played your entire bankroll. Play again only when you can afford it.

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PLAYING STYLES

In poker one usually refers to conservative (tight) or loose, and aggressive or passive players.

The number of players at a table determines the playing style one chooses. The more players sitting at a table, the less starting hands one should play. When fewer players sit at a table, one should play more starting hands.

Poker strategy books will tell you that tight/aggressive style is often the best. This means you play only good hands, but these you play aggressively.

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Table Position

Position doesn’t mean the actual seat at a poker table, but rather the position in comparison to the Dealer Button. As a beginner one underestimates the importance and the advantage of a good position.

As “position” one refers to the player sitting on the Dealer Button. The two blinds follow. These and the next player hold what is called “early position“, die three next players have „middle position“ and the three last players are in “late position“.

In every game there are players who sit to your right who act before you, and players to the left who act after you. Since each player who acts earlier than you is revealing game information, in this sense the last player to act has the greatest advantage at the table. Will he raise? How much? Who will call the raise? The later the position, the better!

In later position one can play worse cards as in an earlier position. For this, however, one must also properly utilize the information provided. Poker is a game in which an information advantage is directly transformed into money.

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Choice of Starting Hands

The choice of starting hands is decisive concerning the success of your game. Given their mathematical probability, starting hands can be ordered in a rating system. The 10 best starting hands are:

To simplify matters, one divides the possible starting hands into various groups. These groups are then graded decreasing in strength, and even within these groups cards are listed from strongest on the left to weakest to the right.

There are no absolute rules concerning when and how one can play which hand. This all depends on the player’s own chip stacks, position and level of blinds. The table above is merely a starting point for the evaluation of starting hands.

Principally, beginners underestimate the potential of same-color connecting cards, such as the 7 and 8 of hearts. These hands may not win as often as two aces, but when they complete a straight or a flush, they will usually win a big pot.

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POT ODDS

As mentioned above, poker naturally includes not-to-be-underestimated mathematical components. These components can serve as help for the decision whether or not one calls a raise or not. For example: The pot is $40 and you have

The pot is $40 and you have	And the Flop comes
7s8s	Ac10h9h

It’s your opponent’s turn and he bets $10.

At the moment you have only the 8 as you high card, with which you will most probably lose. However, any Jack or any 6 will give you a straight. What is the probability that you will hit these cards? The entire deck has 52 cards. Of these, you can see five, so that means there are 47 cards left. To complete your hand you need one of the four Jacks or one of the four 6es. This means a proportion of eight good cards to 39 bad cards. The chances, then, that you will complete your hand are 1:4.875

Now you know the possibility of completing your hand, but you still don’t know if you should call the $10 raise of your opponent. To reach this decision, you now compare the chances of completing your hand with the ratio of the bet with the possible winnings. Your opponent has bet $10 and there is already $40 in the pot. You must pay $10 in order to win $50. This means a ratio of 5:1. Now the decision has become easier. You have a 1:4.875 chance to complete your hand and you will receive 5:1 for your bet. In such a situation, then, a call would be justifiable. This doesn’t mean that you will win this hand every time, but long term you will make a profit with this strategy.

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BETTING

A classic beginner mistake is making the wrong raise at the wrong time. There are many reasons why one should bet or raise. What follows are the three most common reasons:

Value Bet

A raise is referred to as a Value Bet when that player assumes that he/she is holding the best cards and wants to raise the pot. The player tries to judge the maximum amount that the opponents are willing to pay. The player doesn’t want them to fold, but rather to increase the size of the pot to the highest level so he/she can win the most with that good hand.

When playing against a conervative player, you should only place small Value Bets, otherwise the opponent will fold. Loose opponents call for much higher Value Bets. Here as well one sees the importance of gathering information on one’s opponents in order to make a good evaluation of their playing styles.

Semi Bluff

Semi Bluff means to raise without a good hand but with an eye toward getting a good hand at the Turn or River. The goal is to act like you have a strong hand to make the opponents fold or to catch the best hand with the next Board cards. Using such combined chances at winning, the Semi Bluff is a good instrument. However, one must have good enough changes at catching a good card. Typical examples here would be the Flush Draw and the Open-Ended Straight Draw.

Example:
You have Ah 4h and the Flop comes with 2s 3h Jh. You’re in the first position and you have nothing right now. However, any heart (still 9 cards) and any 5 (4 cards, of which one if a heart) will give you a Flush or a Straight – in either case a very good hand. Therefore, you should bet. In case your opponent has nothing, he will fold. Should he call, there are still 12 cards which will help you to gain the (most likely) best hand.

You should not use the Semi Bluff too often, however, since your opponents will soon come to recognize this maneuver and start to play against you.

Information Bet

It is sometimes good to bet in the first position in order to find out more about your opponent’s hand.

For example:
You have KJ in the middle position and pay the blind. All players after you fold, only the small blind raises. You decide to call and the Flop comes K25 off-suit. You now hold Top Pair and a good hand, but your opponent could also be holding AK, KQ or KK, or even TT, JJ or QQ. In order to find out how strong your opponent’s hand really is, you should place a small bet. If your opponent raises, you can safely assume that your hand is beaten and you should fold. If not, you have a good chance to win this hand.

It is important to remember what type of player your opponent is when placing an Information Bet. A very aggressive player will see your small bet as a weakness and may re-raise with a weaker hand. Then you’re in a difficult situation since you don’t know if you should call or fold.

You can Check Raise against an aggressive player. This is when you check athough you have a good hand In case this is not a good hand, he is almost forced to throw away his hand. Should be re-raise, however, it is time for you to part with your own cards.

BAD BEAT

You experience a Bad Beat when you’re holding the best hand and put money in the pot according to the ratio of betting to expected winnings, but are beat by the opponent who was holding worse cards with a bad ratio. Every poker player must live with Bad Beats. “You can’t win ‘em all” as they say. Professional players try to maximize their winnings long term. Just beause of a Bad Beat one can’t lose his/her cool.

The goal is to minimize your own mistakes and to profit from the mistakes of your opponents. And be sure that your opponent won’t always have that kind of good luck.

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statistics

Probabilities for specific hands

The following table shows various probabilities for the receiving or completing a particular hand. All probabilities listed refer to Texas Hold’em.