If you’re new to poker, you may hear plenty of information about the types of poker players and which ones to avoid or take advantage. However, there is little information about the types of play – another important thing you should learn to identify. Learning the types of play allows you to determine when to play weak, when to become aggressive and when you should throw a hand away.

One of the most important skills to master in playing poker is patience because you need to learn to wait for a good hand and fold bad ones. Beginners usually play all hands, eager to be in with every bit of action all the time. More experienced players fold early and often. Since there is no way to win poker all the time, you need to understand when your hand is beaten, so you can throw it away earlier on the game and save you plenty of money in the end.

Once you know how to throw away bad hands, you can become an aggressive player at the right time. When you have a good hand, don’t be afraid to make a bet. Raising a bet can easily keep other players with mediocre hands out of the game. However, be aware that betting for value is just as important for you to narrow down the field. Sometimes, even a not-so strong hand can make you win a game, particularly if the other players are limping with straight/flush draws. On the other hand, make sure not to check twice if everyone is checking on a hand. Instead, place a bet in on the turn, which can give you a good indication of what your opponents have and whether you have a chance of taking the pot home.

In situations where you’re sure you have the best hand, you should aim for a slow play. If you have a great chance of winning, avoid betting straight away so you will not scare off your opponents. Since you want the money in the pot to get bigger, you should try to fool your opponents into thinking you have no chance. Therefore, if a high card comes out on the turn and one of your opponents bet out, then raise to hide your good hand and be able to get even more of their money into the pot.

Tags: Online poker, texas holdem

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 11th, 2008 at 8:24 am and is filed under Poker Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.