The Pros' Top 7 Poker Strategy Tips - A Comprehensive Guide

 Top 7 Poker Strategy Tips From The Pros - An Complete Guide

Studies have shown that nearly 95% of poker players end up losing in the long term. It is crucial to be able to use poker strategies with so many people losing. You will find that poker strategy can differ greatly depending on who you talk to. Some players will tell that you should play extremely tight and limit your aggressiveness to a small number of hands. Others will argue that bluffing is the best strategy and that bullying your opponents is the best. You may find it difficult to master a basic poker strategy that works.

It is, however, not true. There are many poker books and online training sites that can help you win at poker. You are on your way to a winning strategy with this poker guide, which includes professional tips.

Tip #1: Selective when Starting Hands

Overplaying your hand is the biggest mistake for beginning poker players. Even though folding might seem boring at first, you should only be folding 20% of the hands that you are dealt in Texas Hold'em. Preflop folding is the best strategy. Game theory solvers have been used by professional poker players to create starting hands charts. These charts can then be used in your winning poker strategy. Many of these charts can be found online and provide details about which hands you should raise in different positions. You don't have to know every position of each hand, but you should look for patterns among the various types of hands you are able to play.

Remember that these hand charts are used to open the pot. That is, no other players have raised and it's your turn. If your opponent raises, you should limit your hand range even more. Instead of calling, re-raise (or three-bet) is the best option. A winning poker strategy is all about narrowing your range of starting hands.

Tip #2: Don't be shy!

Poker is a game of aggression, especially in no limit games. A winning strategy in poker is aggressive, especially in no-limit game. Pro poker players will tell ya that aggressive poker strategies are the best. In two ways, being aggressive is good: you'll get more folds and your opponent will fold less. If you can generate more folds, it will be easier to win the pot. You don't necessarily need to have a strong hand in order to win the pot.

Being aggressive when you make a strong poker hand will increase the pot size and help you win more money. Aggression is a key part of basic poker strategy. However, being too aggressive can lead to financial ruin. You should only be being aggressive when it makes sense. You shouldn't be aggressive on every street with no draw and no pair. Instead, use common sense and bluffs.

This is especially important for preflop poker strategy. You want to play a small number of hands as you can, but this should not be confused with aggression. Low-stakes games are where many players choose to call a raise prior to the flop over re-raising. Because this is a typical pattern, you will most likely be going into the flop with at least three other players. It is more difficult to beat three than one player.

You can win more pots by being aggressive before the flop. You can win poker by being aggressive, so don't hesitate to take the aggressive steps.

Tip #3: Always play in the same position as possible

To win at poker, you must play in position. That is, your opponents act before you. You can see what your opponents are doing before you make your own decisions. This will give you valuable information about their hand strength that can make it easier to make decisions.

If you flop one pair but have two opponents act prior to you, you can comfortably fold if they raise and the second bets. Your hand is weak against aggressive actions. You will lose money if you fold if you are the first to act, and your opponents raise you with their pair. The easier it is to make an informed decision, the more you learn about your opponents.

You can control the size of your pot by playing in position. If your marginal hand isn't strong enough for you to place a bet but you aren't weak enough to fold, then you can keep the hand going cheaper in position. If you check to your opponent, and you have a marginal-made card, you can check as well and continue to the next street. Many aggressive players will check you as the first one to act and place a bet, placing you in a difficult position with a marginal card. This allows you to play a wider variety of hands in a late-position position, as you are able to gain more information and control. You should always play pots in position, whenever possible.

Poker Tip #4: Don't Limp, Even if Everyone Else Does

Limpers are common in small-stakes games of poker, especially live poker. Limping occurs when you call the big blind before raising. Watch out for limping when you enter a casino to see the $1/$2 & $1/3 games. This is almost always an unsuccessful play. Sharp players will often see many limpers and will attack them by raising large preflop.

Preflop raising is the best way to play a hand. If your hand is not strong enough for you to raise, then limping is not an option. If you limp with weak hands like 6-7 offsuit and someone raises, you'll likely fold and have lost a large blind. This is why a good poker strategy for beginners should be free from limping.

You should be aggressive about raising preflop if you see many players who are limping at the table. If you see three people who are limping at your table and the average raise is $8 in your $1/$2 live game, raise it to $8. They will most likely call. It is harder to beat three than one opponent. If you are able to see limps, and your hand is strong enough for you to play with, raise your raise to around $18-$24. Most times, all the limpers will fold and you win a small amount of money. You may be called at times. If you call, they will fold and you win a small pot.

Tip #5: Do not chase draw prices, but learn how to calculate pot odds

Many players mistakenly view their draws to be monsters. However, they lose money by placing large bets upon drawing. You can win a lot of cash when you have a big flush draw. However, it is not possible to make the draw every time. Pot odds will allow you to make profitable decisions when drawing and fold when the bet exceeds your limit.

Pot odds is a measure of your chances of getting a draw. It also compares that to the size and proportion of the bet to the pot. If you have a 35% chance to make your hand, but the size of your bet is less than 50% of the pot's total, you will not have the right odds to call. The same applies to this situation. If your bet was 20% of the pot you are able to call. This is a quick and easy way to use probabilities at the poker table without putting too much money into the wrong pot. This might seem daunting but it is possible to add pot odds into your winning poker strategy by simply multiplying and dividing.

Tip #6 - Pay Attention To Your Opponents

Many players are glued to their smartphones, scrolling through their phones, or even watching a movie in an iPad. You will see them all when you enter a cardroom today. These players miss out on important information that could improve their strategy. This will allow you to categorize each person by paying attention and watching your opponents.

In the first hour, identify the strongest and weakest players in the room and play accordingly. If a player is constantly trying to put their opponents in difficult situations and always appears to have a great hand, you should avoid them. If you see someone calling with weak hands or showing bad hands, it is likely that they are a bad player and you should not play in pots with them.

This information is lost if you stop paying attention to what's happening. Even if you fold your hand preflop, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't pay attention to the action. You should still watch and observe how each player plays and take notes. This is a valuable tip for any poker player, and it doesn't just apply to online poker. It is a mistake to watch a film while playing online poker. To be successful at poker, you need to pay attention to the game.

Tip #7: Value Bet Your Strong Hands

Many poker beginners try to play difficult and will only play passively if you have a strong hand. Some situations can warrant setting up a trap. However, beginners should learn how to build pots with strong hands.

Most recreational and novice players are casual and passive. These players won't take an aggressive action like raising or betting, but will still call bets frequently. You should exploit this by betting your strongest hands. Don't try to convince your opponent to place a bet for you. You can make pots bigger by check-raising, but it's a weak play. It is best to bet your strong hands and avoid your opponents looking back. Best poker strategies