ONLINE POKER STRATEGY AND TIPS

 TIPS AND STRATEGY FOR ONLINE POKER

While anyone can learn basic poker strategies, it's important to have some tips and tricks in order to play online poker.

Although learning poker is easy, it can take several years to become an expert player. You can stay ahead of the crowd with this simple poker betting strategy.

LEARN TO PLAY Poker

Poker online is now legal in certain US states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Online poker is simple and offers a wide range of stakes. You can also get bonuses and promotional offers from the best online poker sites to boost your wallet.

Let's get started with a short overview of poker rules. Texas Hold'em poker is the most well-known form of poker. We'll use that game as an example.

A game of Hold'em gives each player two cards, one face up. There is an initial round of betting before the "flop" is dealt. These are three community cards, which are shared equally by everyone at the table.

A second round of betting ensues, and then a single card called "turn" is added to each hand. The turn is completed by a third round of betting.

You aim to create the best 5-card poker hands using both your hole cards and five community cards. Standard poker rankings are used to determine which hand wins.

Royal Flush

Straight Flush

Four of a Kind

Full House

Flush

Straight

Three of a Kind

Two Pair

One Pair

High Card

RELATED : Basic Rules of Poker

11 TIPS ON POKER STRATEGY TO IMPROVE YOUR PLAY

Are you already a professional poker payer? What tips can help you improve your poker game and make it more enjoyable? These are some basics of poker strategy that will get you started.

1. BE SELECTIVE WITH YOUR STARTING HANDS

When you're a novice player it can be tempting to play every hand. Why sit and watch others have all the fun while you fold?

There is a reason to be selective about your starting hands. Many times, your hands will fall behind the flop and you'll end up throwing bad money.

It is all about picking the right starting hand, getting past a marginal hand and then pouncing on a great hand. You should pick a few top hands to raise in the late position (where it is possible to be one of last to act), then you should fold most of your tiny holdings preflop.

These are the best starting hands in poker, and they can all be grouped together starting with pocket aces.

A-A

K-K

Q-Q

J-J

A-K suited

A-Q suitable

A-J suitable

K-Q suits

These are the hands you can raise in late position with. You can raise in early position with some hands, such as K-K and A-A, but you won't be the first to act post-flop.

Also, you can add in hands like 10-10 and 9-9. Do not get attached to smaller pairs like 2-2, 3-3, or 8-8 and only play them for the value of the flop.

2. LEARN TO BE GRESSIVE

A good poker tournament strategy and cash game strategy requires aggressive play. You don't have to put in a lot of cash and force other players out.

The best poker tip is to be tight, aggressive and play only a few hands. When you are up against weaker players, such as those who are more likely than others to fold, you should be aggressive with your small pairs or suited connectors. This will allow you to conceal the true strength and potential weakness of your hand, especially if only a small portion of the flop connects.

3. LEARN THE ARTS OF BLUFFING

If the best players weren't willing to bluff, it wouldn't be easy for them to win many pots. It is possible to miss the turn or flop a lot of times, so it is important to learn to bluff to force players to fold.

To win better hands, good players learn how to bluff. Begin by learning how to make a continuation bet (c–bet). This is a wager you make on the flip after you have led preflop betting.

It doesn't really matter whether you have hit a flop or not. A c-bet will help keep the story moving. C-bets are great for hiding your made hands, especially if you are aggressive. The opponent may think that you are trying to buy the pot when you have a good hand.

4. BUT DO NOT BLUFF TOO MUCH

Bluffing can be a great strategy to improve your poker game. You shouldn't be too attached to the idea that you can pull off many bluffs. Playing your marginal hands often is not a smart way to lose chips, especially if the calling station doesn't value your play.

Semi-bluffs can also be used. Semi-bluffs can be used when your drawing hand is capable of becoming stronger.

For example, 6-5 may be your hand, while 8-9-J might have two. There are now straight, flush and straight flush options so you have the possibility of making a decent hand if you bluff.

5. UNDERSTAND HANDS RANKINGS and ODDS

Knowing how to start hands is a good tip. But understanding how the rankings works online is a better strategy.

If you're dealt A-8 and the flip comes K-8-2 you know you have an eight pair with an ace kicker. But, you're being beaten by a pair kings and possibly an 8 or 2 set.

What could you do to improve this? Another 8 might be enough to give you three of one kind, but it could also give your opponent a full house. An ace could give you two pairs and make you a strong player. If there was a raiser before the flop, could he hold A-1?

The odds of you winning are very high. This means learning about:

Outs

Hand Odds

Pot Odds

The outs indicate the number cards in the deck that have the potential to improve your hand. You can calculate your hand odds by calculating your outs.

Now, compare the amounts of money that you will need to place in order to call the number.

Let's say your hand odds after subtracting the number of outs are 4/1, and that the pot odds for you are 12/1. For a 4/1 call you will be paid 12/1. This is a straightforward call that works every time.

There are many online hand odds cheatsheets. Keep it safe and print one for next time you play online poker.

6. DEFEND YOUR BLINDS

The basic strategy of poker was that you should fold the majority of your hands in both small and big blinds. Today, it is common to think that you should defend all your blinds.

You've already made an enforced bet when you're in the big blind. Additionally, you are second to act after the flop happens. The majority of the players won't know you, so this is not a position you should defend.

The post-flop betting is the key. The big blind is the last to act. You can raise, call or simply check to see if there was a pre-flop raise.

Being the last to act can give you a lot information on your opponents before the flop. A player who raises too late might be a good candidate for a bet.

You can call the big blind comfortably with a wide range of hands if you have this information. A flop might not be as expensive as you think.

You should play the big blind with caution. Re-raised pots should be avoided and you should also consider the number of players involved in the hand. Also, you should defend your big blind by playing a hand with multiway play like premium pairs and suited connectors.

7. Don't be afraid to fold

Learn to fold your hands is the best part of any poker tournament or cash game strategy.

Online poker offers the opportunity to be dealt many hands. Online poker is very fast, especially in turbo Sit'n Gos as well as fast-fold cash. You don't need to play many hands when one is coming up in under a second.

It can be dull to sit at your PC folding lots of junk. You don't need to be bored if you have nothing else to do.

Similar to the previous example, it is important to learn how to fold when you believe you have a solid hand. If a tight player raises on a A-6-10 flop where you have middle pairs, it is likely that you are losing. It's time to give up and make another hand.

It is essential to be 100% certain of your play. The best thing to do when faced with a raise is to just let it go.

8. BE AWARENESS OF YOUR TABLE POSITION

One of the most important aspects of poker strategy is understanding your position at a table.

If you're in an early position and are the first to act, you could be offered a raise. You will also have more information about your rivals' actions in late positions.

The importance and value of position cannot be overemphasized. It dictates the amount of hands you raise and call with and determines how aggressive and assertive you should be before and after the flop.

In late position, it is a good idea to raise from 4-4 to 8-8 if there has been no raise. These raises become calls in the early position. The closer you are to the small blind, you need to be more careful.

9. DON'T PLAY BEYOND YOU BANKROLL

The US offers legal online poker sites with a variety of stake levels and games. You have the option to play cash games for $0.01 or $0.02, or you can enter high-stakes tournaments worth $500+.

It may take a moment to register for a tournament, or to sit down at a cashtable. But be mindful of your bankroll.

You could start with $100 and play $0.05/$0.10 cash games. Then, reserve some of your money for rebuys. The best strategy for playing poker tournaments is to only spend 5-10% on one entry.

Also, you need to think beyond just finances. It doesn't matter if you have $1,000 to spare, but that doesn't make you qualified to play at $10/100 buy-ins. To move up, you need to be comfortable at the same level as your current one.

You can win 10-20 cash sessions depending on your stake level. Consider moving up. Similar to the above, you should aim for a certain Return of Investment (ROI), on Sit & Gos and tournaments before moving up.

10. INVEST in Poker Tracking Software

While not all poker sites permit tracking software or heads up displays (HUDs), these can be very useful to aid you in assessing your opponents.

A HUD such as PokerTracker 4 or Hold'em Manager 3 overlays the online poker table and provides you with information about your opponents. Real-time stats such as their preflop raise percentage, or how many times they fold to a raise are available. It's possible to make better informed decisions by taking notes and studying the statistics. poker strategies the pros use