Poker is a tremendously complex game, with many layers to discover as you advance in level. This means that less experienced players may be afraid to embark on the adventure of learning to play poker well, as it is a game that requires continuous training.
To make it easier for you to make your way among the greats of poker and improve as you enjoy, we have made a basic poker strategy guide so that any beginner can pay attention to those basic aspects of poker that will allow him to improve and refine his style of play.
7 basic online poker strategies
Seven are the crucial aspects that every poker beginner has to take into account. We are going to review them so that you have a global vision of what is necessary to improve your poker game if you are not a professional player.
Always think about where you are at the table
The order in which the players are talking during each round is vital to define what kind of basic poker strategy you are going to adopt. There are positions that are more compromised than others, so you have to think about whether to go tight or aggressive.
This is a basic online poker strategy, and you’ll have to learn how to play from any position on the table, despite you’re in the most compromised one: Under The Gun.
Generally, it is considered that the UTG position is the worst off, while the button, who is next to the dealer, is the best, because he can raise the bet and leave him out of the play.
In addition, those in the top positions tend to be more selective with the hands they play. Those who are in the last positions, on the other hand, tend to play with less criteria.
Odds and outs, always under control
You will soon learn that counting odds and outs is vital if you want to improve. Odds is the term used to describe a player’s chances of winning with a hand, while outs are the cards that have not come out and have the potential to improve a player’s hand.
Keeping this in mind can elucidate the type of basic online poker strategy you are going to follow, always bearing in mind that, if there is no substantial room for improvement, your play will always be more conservative. If you have little to gain, it is better not to risk. It is better to err on the side of caution at the beginning; you will have time to put all your eggs in the basket.
Learn to recognize the best hand on the table
A basic poker strategy if you want to improve in poker is to pay attention to the players at the table and to the previous hand. There are indicators that can allow you to discover which player has the best hand, so learn to recognize it.
Not for others, but for yourself. If you have the best hand and you don’t know how to recognize it, you will lose golden opportunities to win.
How much do you raise a bet?
This is an aspect that not many novice players know how to control. There are those who bet on instinct, get carried away and end up losing a significant amount of money. When it comes to raise, you must take into account these aspects depending on how you consider your play to be:
– You have the best hand. If you think so, bet big. This will force weaker players to fold, improving your chances of success.
– You have a normal hand, but you don’t have to see more cards to win. If this is your case and you raise the bet, you may force some players to fold if they need the flop.
– You have nothing. Here you can choose to bluff or semi-bluff. The good thing is that, even if you get caught, you could recover on the flop.
It’s also possible that you simply want to get information with some bad cards. You could bet and see which players raise, who goes and who folds. That can give you a good deal of information about how your opponents are playing.
Hiding a good hand
If you have a good hand, you can hide it at the beginning to try to increase your profits at the expense of your opponents’ bets. This is a good option and one of the most basic poker strategies of them all, because as long as others think your cards are bad, they will get the wrong impression of the game and you can use that to your advantage. Take advantage of it!
Focus on one modality at first
We know that poker has several modalities and that you are probably curious to try the others. You can do it without any problem, but keep in mind that, during the learning process, it can be counterproductive to be combining several different types of poker.
It is best that, at least for a while, you focus on one variant and experiment a little later, when most of these tips have been assimilated and internalized.
Read and study often
Poker is not only developed at the poker table itself: it is a game in which training is elementary. You will have to look for books, read on a recurring basis, explore new strategies, try to put them into practice and read expert players’ manuals to keep expanding your knowledge of the game.
This is our basic poker strategies guide for beginner poker players, but if you think you’re ready to go one step further, why not take a look at our guide with advanced strategies to further improve your game?
