Top 10 Poker Tips to Up Your Game!
So you want to play more Poker, but you feel like your current approach isn’t cutting it. The good news is— that’s perfectly normal. As Poker players ourselves, we’ve been in your shoes and know exactly what steps you should take to up your game. Our 10 tips are a mix of psychology and Poker knowledge, so you can have a well-rounded winning strategy for each game you play!
Best Poker Sites to Test Out These Strategies
Start Thinking in Ranges, not Hands
One of the first things you can do to take your game from beginner to advanced is to stop thinking that your opponents have specific hands. Poker is all about calculation, so it’s better to start thinking of the range of hands your opponent could have. It’s all about figuring out the frequencies of the range of hands instead of assigning the other player with an exact Q or A they might have just because you have a gut feeling.
Truth be told, no one has one specific winning hand in Poker, regardless of what our gut may be saying. So, consider all possibilities based on the cards on the table— and keep in mind that the other player may be bluffing.
Stay Consistent
You may start playing with a certain strategy and then get bored during the game or start thinking something else will work better. Though it’s tempting to change things up, it doesn’t give you any long-term benefits. If you’ve spent a lot of time perfecting a strategy and learning about Poker, then you need to stay consistent with that strategy across all tables you play to build a bankroll.
This is an especially important tip to remember after a big win or loss. Don’t focus on the short-term feelings, but focus on your long-term goals instead.
Don’t Be Afraid to be Aggressive
Taking an aggressive approach in Poker means opening pots and making lots and big bets. This style puts the other players under pressure to act, which can lead them to fold more. In turn, that makes you win pots more often. If you’re playing a no-limit game, then this is an especially good tactic to play.
The real key to playing aggressively is to not overdo it. Sure, you should bet more or make bigger bets when you have a strong hand or if you’re bluffing when the opportunity is right. But if you do it the whole time, the strategy can fail.
This is an especially important tip to remember after a big win or loss. Don’t focus on the short-term feelings, but focus on your long-term goals instead.
Narrow Down Your Starting Hands
When you’re just starting out, it’s natural to look at every starting hand and think you can play it. Folding preflop seems boring in comparison, but it’s the right choice for about 80% of games, especially in Texas Hold’em.
You should only raise certain hands in early positions and there are whole charts you can find to help you understand which hands are worth raising. Keep in mind that you don’t have to memori se them all, just find a pattern that you can apply to your game.
Don’t Just Look at the Cards
Yes, your hands and the potential ranges of your opponents’ cards are important, but they aren’t the only thing going on at the table. It’s also important to pay attention to the other players. How are they playing? Can you find a pattern in their strategy? This is vital information that can help you get the upper hand.
For example, if someone is playing aggressively, you should avoid them unless you’ve got a really strong hand. Or, if you notice someone consistently showing bad hands and calling low-ranking hands, you’ll know not to play with them anymore. An especially good time to pay attention to how everyone is acting is when you fold pre-flop. Don’t mentally check out— learn from your opponents.
Learn One Game First
Though each Poker version is fun in its own way, it’s never a good idea to start learning them all at once. Choose the game you like the most and stick to it. Winning strategies vary between games, so if you want to stay consistent with yours, you also have to stay consistent with the game.
Plus, this allows you to get more comfortable and familiar with it, which can in turn build your confidence and help you work on your strategy more. As time goes on and you start improving, you can start learning new games. It will take you much less time to get over the learning curve since you now have some experience and a better idea of how you should play!
Choose a Good Game
Not every table offered online is worth sitting at. Choosing a good game is a key factor in your winning strategy. The thing is, you need a good mix of players with different playing styles for a good, profitable, and interesting game.
For example, if you notice everyone is only making bets when they have really good hands and otherwise folding, you likely won’t be able to win any money. Contrary to that, there may be tables where everyone is aggressive and strong, which can feel intimidating when you’re just starting out.
The beauty of online Poker is that you can simply exit the table and find a better one if you realise it’s a bad one after an hour or so.
Know When to Fold
While knowing when to play aggressively is important, so is knowing when to fold. This seems intuitive until you get into a situation where you feel like you have a good hand, but realise someone else has an even better one. Should you try to see if they’re bluffing and risk everything to win? No, the best option is to fold.
Surrendering your chance to win can be hard to do, but again, it’s about playing for the long term. When you call too often or in the wrong situations, you’re actually on the fast track to losing at Poker. Bide your time and fold whenever you’re unsure.
Learn to Bluff Effectively
Knowing how and when to bluff is essential for any player who wants to take it to the next level. But how do you know when you should be bluffing? It’s best to let the cards make that decision. If you have flush draws, straight draws, or an overcard on the board, it’s a good time to bluff.
That’s because these hands can become the best ones on an upcoming street. And if your bluff gets called, you can use the draws as a backup. This is actually called a semi-bluff because of the potential there is beyond the bluff itself.
Have Fun!
After all those charts and strategies, what you really need to remember is that Poker is a game that’s meant to be fun and enjoyable. So don’t obsess over winning; only play when you feel like it, and never spend over your limit.
Becoming an advanced or professional player will take time, but there’s absolutely no reason you can’t or shouldn’t enjoy the ride!
Where to Play Poker Online
Pocket 52
This casino has a big community and a ton of tournaments you can participate in. It’s suited to players of all skill levels, so you’ll definitely find something for yourself and like-minded people to play with. We recommend starting with Omaha or Texas Hold’em, as the tables for both are always full.
Though Pocket 52 doesn’t have a welcome offer, they do have ongoing bonuses that give you more to play with. For example, they have something called Discount Credits and the way it works is that you get a buy-in of the same value as your deposit.
Spartan Poker
This is a great casino for both beginner and intermediate players, as it has a wide range of tournaments, promos, and even a loyalty program. On top of that, the casino has a lot of tips and guides on specific Poker versions, so you can learn more and then choose a game to practise on.
The welcome offer will also immediately win you over— 600% up to ₹60,000 over your first three deposits. As you become part of the loyalty program automatically, you can use those points on Cash Games and earn rewards!
Adda 52
As one of India’s biggest Poker platforms, it’s only natural that Adda 52 has over five monthly promotions, a range of tournaments, and excellent rewards for loyal players. As soon as you register, you’ll enter the loyalty program where you collect points that you can spend at the casino’s exclusive store. Tickets for tournaments, Instant Bonuses, Gadgets, and other perks can all be found there!
If you like playing Poker with friends, you should also take advantage of Adda 52’s Refer a Friend promotion, as you can get an instant ₹250 when the friend you invited deposits ₹250.
Parimatch Casino
At Parimatch Casino, you can enjoy loads of live dealer games including multiple Poker tables. There isn’t a welcome offer specifically for Poker, but you will get a 10% cashback every Monday if you play on the weekends.
MTT (Multi-table tournaments) and Sit & Go tournaments with large prize pools are regular here, so you’ll have plenty of chances to win big. Parimatch also has a Poker app where you can see all the tables, tournaments, and bonuses in one place.
Khelo365
Khelo 365 welcomes new Poker players with a bonus of 200% up to ₹1,000. You can try out some of the most popular games here and we recommend starting with Texas Hold’em. There are a lot of tournaments available so you can practice your skills and strategies often. You’ll also find regular bonuses you can look forward to.
If you have an Android device, you can download Khelo 365’s app and enjoy Poker on the go.
Poker Strategy FAQs
There are many Poker sites and apps available for learning how to play Poker in India. You can check out Spartan Poker, as they have tournaments and tables suitable for beginners. On top of that, you’ll find a lot of free resources and guides that you can read.
Because every Poker game is different, there isn’t just one strategy to help you win every time. There are plenty of strategies to help you improve your game, and the key to winning more over time is to stay consistent.
You need a little bit of both! Sometimes you can come out with your best strategy and still lose because the other players simply had better cards. And other times, you can win with a weaker hand if your bluff works.
Though online Poker seems intimidating, it’s actually not that difficult to learn. You should start with one game so that you can improve and feel more confident, then move on to other games. Keep practising and reading about Poker and you’ll get the hang of it in no time.
There are a lot of Poker strategies out there, but the key is to stay consistent, learn when to fold and bluff, and just have fun. These will help you improve your skills and get better in the long run, while letting you be present in each game and enjoy every moment.
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