1. Bankroll level
2. Chasing your losses
3. Too many hands
4. Trends
5. Mixing your play style
6. Tilt
7. Emotion
8. Learn to play correctly
9. Learn by the mistakes of others and yourself
10. Know your own game

The brief explanations have an in-page link to more on each suggestion. They are not listed in any particular order of importance except perhaps the first.

1. Bankroll level

Play at a cash table or in a tournament that suits your bankroll.

This is my top poker tip because foremost we play live and online poker for the fun to be had at whatever buy-in level your bankroll can sustain. It is exciting getting your chips into the pot against all comers, however if paying your rent depends upon the result of a hand, you may find the pressure leads to poor decision making and a disproportionate reaction to the bad beats all poker players endure. More…

2. Chasing your losses

Do not chase your losses. If you lose a major portion of your table stake in one or several large pots, do not try to recoup your chips all in one go (unless you have a hand which justifies the action on a cash table, or the need to because of the blind/stack ratio in a tournament). If you have a sound poker strategy you will recover your losses in the long term.

Similarly, if you take a big hit to your poker bankroll in one session or over a longer period, do not move up to a higher buy-in thinking, ‘one good win and I’m back to where I started.’ Often you will play the higher buy-in with a too loose or too tight attitude, neither of which is natural to your previous proven successful poker strategy. More…

3. Too many hands

Avoid playing too many hands especially the marginal ones unless you need to; more often, elect to play the hands which have a better chance of winning. Of course, if you are dealt several big starting hands in short succession, you should not throw them away; however, consider that in playing them, others may think you as a loose player and may call with lesser cards which could overtake you in the hand. More…

4. Trends

There are two types of trends to understand; table trends and player trends.

Recognising table trends is important in both cash and tournament play. If you are not happy on a cash table you can always withdraw your chips. In a tournament you take what you are given. In both cases, changes in the players seated and the blind increments (in tournaments) mean that the table character will also fluctuate.

Player trends to look out for are not necessarily just play style. You may find a player will always raise in the small blind if the table folds to that seat; or may consistently play any Ace that they are dealt. Some players will take an overly long time if they hold a poor hand they are going to bet with. You cannot tell exactly what a player is holding, but may gain an advantage in a number of hands. More…

5. Mixing your play style

Once you understand your own play style and appreciate other player's, you should not be too rigid in your approach.

Being predictable can work in your favor if playing a hand others think you are unlikely to be on. You should not completely abandon your regular game, but should think to add a little sparkle once in a while during a session or tournament. It helps you to stay fresh and alert and if you are generally found by others to be passive or tight it keeps them on their toes. More…

6. Tilt

It is easy to say ‘don’t go on tilt’ although harder to avoid at times. However consider this; the only person who can put you on tilt is yourself.

Take a bad beat like a man… or a woman. We have all seen some poor calls but only a small portion of them are bad beats. Mostly, a player with marginal cards is backed into a corner by the blind/stack ratio and/or a move against them.

Often you wanted the call and were willing to take on the short stack, or vice versa and your K-K was overtaken by 6-6. When the cards were flipped over, I bet you were happy to have seen them.

It can be discouraging to have out played a player and have luck out play you, but that is poker. Bad beats are part of the fun.

If you take the attitude, ‘If you can't beat them, join them,’ you know what will happen…it sure won’t fall your way that time.

Be aware of other players who may be going on tilt. If someone has lost a large portion of their stack to a bad beat (or several), you should consider whether they may pose an awkward question if you enter a pot. They may need to do this to stay alive in a tournament, but do you need to take them on.

How to avoid going on tilt. More…

7. Emotion

As much as you can, do not take it personally and do not bring personal conditions to the table.

Had a bad day at the office, a fight with your partner, feeling under the weather or have ‘man flu.’ These are not reasons to avoid playing poker, however do not bring the emotion of the occasion to the table. You may fire your chips into the pot with a marginal hand, when in your mind you are mentally wringing the neck of the policeman who gave you a ticket for speeding on the way home that night.

At the poker table a player may be ‘loose as a goose’ making poor plays and benefiting from huge slices of luck. That does not mean they have a hold over you or you are being targeted

Similarly, if a player is always raising your big blind from their button seat, it may only mean they have seen something in your play that they perceive can be exploited or more often, they are an aggressive player and that is what they do. In that situation, it is the big blind seat they are attacking not you as a person or player. Base decisions upon the cards and your read of their play, earning chips as best you can. More…

8. Learn to play correctly

I get into unsafe ground here because of my wish not to offend anyone. A little knowledge is useful, but if not combined with intelligence, that knowledge can lead to some costly mistakes.

For instance in no-limit Texas Hold’em, some will slow-play their pocket Aces, then blame everyone at the table, the random card generator and the site they are playing on if the hand is overtaken. Slow-playing pocket Aces is not a mistake; but believing the ‘mighty A-A’ to be invincible post-flop is.

‘Correct play’ is open to interpretation, do not be too proud to seek advice at any stage in your live or online poker career. Many resources are available in book stores and online (there are a number of articles on this site). Take a few minutes regularly to read something – anything, which may improve your game. If you find an area that you feel needs improving, seek out useful poker strategy information. More…

9. Learn by the mistakes of others and yourself

Intrinsic in improving your poker game is learning from mistakes.

It is valuable to learn from another’s mistake twofold. Firstly, the mistake will have cost them and (hopefully) not you. Secondly, by taking notes you may find a trend which you can later exploit.

Learning by your own mistakes can only be valuable if you are completely honest with yourself.

A friend would tell me of constant bad beats that seemed to crush them every time they played online poker. Of course, my friend always played perfectly. Over a couple of weeks I saw their screen name at a cash table and in a tournament lobby. On both occasions I watched the game. Later descriptions of, ‘ I had A-K suited and raised 5xbb into the pot and this donk with 7-2 off suit, etc,’ matched exactly with what I had seen in every way, except for the truth. More…

10. Know your own game

Know your play style; whether you are an aggressive, passive, tight or loose player, understand what you do best and work at improving it.

Knowing your own game includes recognizing the betting format that best suits your play style. A loose passive player may think that a fixed limit game keeps a lid on their losses, however, as a fixed limit betting round may often have three bets, it is the tight aggressive player who may tease the loose passive player into calling too many times on a draw.

The game format is also a consideration. Many new online poker players begin playing no-limit Texas Hold’em and use this as their base for playing Omaha. While there is a correlation between the two games the good Omaha players will, for instance, have a better understanding of potential drawing hands. Texas Hold’em players that newly migrate to Omaha Hi/Lo, often only see that game as Texas Hold’em, with a 'get out of jail free' card.

When you find a game and betting format you like and are successful at, exploit it. More…

1. Bankroll level continued

Never play with more then you can afford to lose.

Play at buy-in levels that your poker bankroll can comfortably maintain. Move up to higher buy-in levels for the right reasons, such as;

  1. You have had an unexpected windfall or some extra cash available.

  2. You fancy (for a one off) playing a higher buy-in game.

  3. You find your poker bankroll has grown by your poker skills, consistently winning at the lower level.

When moving up buy-in levels remember; as the stakes increase so too does the average skill level. Do not be too proud to move back down the levels if your bankroll shrinks at an unhealthy rate. There is little difference in playing a couple of levels below one you found troublesome; you still have the same starting stack, 52 cards and some like-minded people.

If you are already making good money at the lower level game, why move. You should want to be one of the best at the table, not one who is struggling to stay in shape. The variations a poker bankroll goes through at higher limits are much bigger in dollar terms, so one night of large gains may be lost at a high stake table full of players who can afford to play there.

At a cash table you need chips available to play a good hand when it comes your way. If short stacked or playing at a level beyond your comfort zone you will be disadvantaged, thinking more about the cash amount than the value of your cards.

Some players build an online poker bankroll from freerolls; however the hourly return will be negligible for a long time. To play at a buy-in level that does return a good hourly rate, you should think (at least during the beginning of your poker career) to invest some of your hard earned cash.

In short; do not play at levels which are too high for your poker bankroll to maintain or in a game you cannot beat. All too quickly you could your lose money, your confidence as a player and your interest in poker.

The buy-in level you should be playing at depends upon your poker bankroll and attitude to risk. This page Bankroll Management features a comprehensive table which may help your selection.

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2. Chasing your losses continued

You should not move to a higher buy-in level in the hope of regaining your losses, after taking a hit at a cash table or missing the money in a tournament.

If a player is sat across the cash table looking smug with your chips (or worse performed a hit and run) keep it together. You were either beaten by a better player or by luck. It's no biggie, keep doing what you do best and all will even out in the long run. No matter if you are playing $0.25/0.50 or $25/50; if you have lost 80% of your buy-in for any reason, do not throw the rest away on an unlikely draw. That remaining 20% (if you walk away with it) should be thought of as profit; because if you don't, it is a loss.

If playing a tournament and have taken a big hit to a previously healthy stack, make the best use of your remaining chips. Continue to play your ‘A’ game.  I have learned the hard way not to go chasing my losses.
 

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3. Too many hands continued

When playing, we want to be amongst the cut and thrust of a well contested game, taking risks and hopefully reaping the rewards. Lessening the number of risks, reduces the potential gains but more importantly the losses; because put simply, you cannot win them all. Enter pots with hands worth playing and win pots worth winning.

Remember, when folding pre-flop, you are playing your cards. The reason to fold can be various including, too many players already in the hand, you are out of position, the price is too high or the cards dealt are just plain rubbish. The reason to play the cards must be equally clear.

Online poker pocket cards are dealt to each computer simultaneously; effectively everyone sees their starting hand in the same instance. This influences some to play too many hands. When you watch televised events, players generally wait until their turn to act before looking at their pocket cards.

Example; The initial thought when seeing say 4c-4d dealt to you is, ‘hey hey, I have a pocket pair; a nice little 4 on the flop and it could be payday for me.’ You have made your mind up to play that hand before it is your turn to act. If there is a pre-flop raise and a large re-raise, while considerations about stack sizes, blinds etc may come into the mix, an instant call should not be in your mind.

The above looks too easy, too obvious; however it is the same method I use no matter if I am dealt 4-4, A-9 or K-K. It is not that easy laying down K-K pre-flop, but believe me, there will be times when you lay down A-A pre-flop. (Who am I kidding I can’t lay that one down unless I’m playing Omaha Hi/Lo).

Look at your starting cards; consider what has happened before you in the betting round and what may happen after your action. Then decide to play or fold.

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4. Trends continued

Table trends

In a tournament the stage of the game has an effect on the table. Early, the table may be aggressive beyond reason, standard for a while (whatever that is) and then as the bubble approaches, may become overly passive. At times, everyone wants to limp into the pot and a 3 x big blind raise is frowned upon as reckless play. On another table a 3 x raise pre-flop is the regular entry into a hand. Those tables may also vary in character throughout a long tournament.

See how the table plays; try to adapt your game to one that best suits, allowing you to profit and enjoy the ride. The common thought of 'if a table is loose, play tight and vice versa' often applies; do not be put off if a table's character is more or less aggressive than you like, work it to your advantage. 

Player trends

Player trends may be the type of starting hands an individual often plays or raises with pre-flop or may be some information they give away in chat. For instance; if a player mentions all the beats they are taking, they must be getting their chips into the pot too often, and/or are not skilled at reading the board and how potential draws may affect other player’s hands… no one is that unlucky. Similarly if a player had a nut hand and another asks, ‘why no all-in,’ you know the questioner does not think to extract the maximum from their top hands and is likely to over-bet a good hand when they hit one.

How a player reacts in certain situations will also give you good information. Work at remembering when a player raises pre-flop and how they reacted to the board cards. If they were playing A-A, how did they play the hand when the board looked likely to have made someone a flush or straight.

Do not look for trends that are not there. If a player takes a long time to come to a betting decision online, it may be they are playing several tables at once, rather than hatching a cunning plan. Look in the Sit and Go lobby to see if players for a game you are about to register for are also registering for other games. It is common in Sit and Go tournaments (especially in the double or nothing versions) and on cash tables for some players to multi-table.

Player styles

The usual description of player styles are LAG, TAG, LP and TP.

LAG: Loose Aggressive

TAG: Tight Aggressive

LP: Loose Passive

TP: Tight Passive

Any player may fall into one of these groups or float between them consciously or not; however to be most successful in their chosen play style, players must also have good board-card reading and player reading skills.

Most players will not play to the extreme of any of the four styles, but will play in one style for a large period of their poker career. Some may play a mix of styles on each betting round, for instance playing tight passive pre-flop, then tight aggressive post-flop. Learning a player’s style is not a certain step to beating them in an individual hand, but a guide as to what you expect of them, so be attentive and when you think you have a good read on a player, make notes about them. A word of warning; notes are not an absolute truth, when you meet them playing on another day re-evaluate and confirm your judgment.

It should be stressed that on the chart below, the optimum play style is only a suggestion of the general area you should target as your play style; as with most things in life you have to be adaptable and thoughtful in your approach. If you consider yourself a tight passive player, it may not be in your nature to play tight and aggressive more often. That is okay, so long as you recognize where your game fits in amongst others. Similarly, if you are a loose aggressive player as long as you benefit from the fun and roller coaster ride which that style brings to the game, then continue doing what you enjoy best. If however you stand firmly in the far reaches of any corner, you may find the need to adapt your thinking by loosening or tightening up your game, or by being stronger or less exuberant in your betting habits.

Loose Aggressive

Loose aggressive players can change a quiet table into a challenging one full of ups and downs in fortune. To compete with and hopefully beat a loose aggressive player, you should be willing to call or raise with weaker hands than normal. Ace high on the river may be good enough to take a pot against this style of player. Recognize and use their aggression against them. Do not be afraid to check raise them with your good hands. If the loose aggressive player hits a rich vein you could find yourself facing some losses during the session; but hang in there, do not go on tilt and you should get back in shape in quick time.

Loose aggressive players in short handed games can be problematic unless you have a good sized stack to fall back on if things do not go your way.

A few times you will meet a super aggressive, recklessly loose player betting and raising with no concern for their cards, the board cards or your betting. While aggression is a good character to have for a successful poker player, if un-tempered their aspiration to gamble is usually their downfall. They will win some large pots at times but will usually lose more in the long term.

A loose aggressive player will often fair well against a tight passive player especially with smaller player numbers and high blinds. If you are a loose aggressive player, you have huge potential; control the inclination to gamble and reap the rewards.

Tight Aggressive

A tight aggressive player style is typified by patience and aggression. Tight aggressive players will only bluff occasionally, preferring to wait for starting hands that give an advantage and then play them aggressively (typically about 20% of the hands that are dealt).

Be aware that when this type of player raises or check raises they could make a large dent in your stack.

The only slight weakness for a tight aggressive player is if a table becomes short handed; unless they loosen their starting hand requirements, they may not get enough good hands to maintain their stack.

Tight aggressive players are the real sharks of the poker room. Most long term poker winners play a tight aggressive style and will know when to loosen their game in a tournament if the blind/stack ratio begins to compromise them.

Loose Passive

A loose passive player is the opposite of a tight aggressive one. Poker is a game of patience and aggression; a loose passive player is often lacking in both areas. A loose aggressive player may suck out on you, but it sure seems to hurt more when a loose passive player does the same, because commonly a loose aggressive player will kill the pot or get off it, whereas a loose passive player will call and call and call. When you lose to one (we all do) don’t even blink, they are ATMs for all other styles and you will win back more in quick time too.

Loose passive players are sometimes thought of as ‘calling stations’. It is best not to try bluffing these players as they characteristically call any bet and rarely fold a hand once they have seen the flop. They are the ones who go to the river with a rag Ace or an unlikely gut shot draw. Generally they play too many hands and will check and call to stay in them beyond the point that another player would.

A good poker strategy against a loose passive player is not to bother being too tricky. Bet when you believe you are in front and check when the board cards suggest you may have been overtaken, because sure as eggs is eggs, as long as a loose passive player has not hit a monster they will check/call throughout.

If you think that you are playing too loose and too passive when reading this, then it is likely a few table comments have been directed at some of your chosen plays. You win a few large pots but soon see your stack dwindling because of too many looks at the flop and unsuccessful chases. It is not the end of the road for you. Do some homework, there is plenty of material on the Internet and in books, tighten up your starting hand requirements and be more selective in the draws you chase. We all began somewhere.

Some say it is the loose aggressive style that becomes the best players once they tame their over aggressiveness, but equally I have seen some loose passive players develop a sound game plan once they gain more knowledge of starting hands and hands that are worth continuing with post-flop.

As tight aggressive players are said to be the poker room sharks, then the extreme loose passive players would define the fish.

Tight Passive

A tight passive player will fold a reasonable hand from a good position if there has been a pre-flop raise before them or fold a marginal hand if all others fold to them pre-flop in a late seat. They may also check later in the hand where a bet is appropriate and call when a raise is the better poker strategy.

Being a tight passive player is not bad, but as my school reports often said, ‘must try harder.’ It is easier for a loose aggressive player to calm their play, than for a tight passive player to add risk; because it is our attitude to risk that directs us all. Most tight passive players will not be losing chips at great speed, but the temptation is there for them to go the wrong way into loose passive rather that the right way into tight aggressive.

A tight passive player’s patience works for them, however this is too often countered by their lack of aggression meaning, when they get a premium hand they do not receive compensation for all the hands they passed on.

Tight passive play can at times be a winning style and is often useful early in a tournament, but I recommend tight passive play as a ‘fall back’ not as a standard.

A workable poker strategy against a tight passive player is straight forward. Bet and raise as much as you can get away with. If they start calling, raising or even re-raising it is time to put your thinking cap on.


You will find your own play falls into one of these areas and apart from playing in a style which is the extreme of any of them, none are a bad place to be, as long as you understand where your game is at.

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5. Mixing your play style continued

Good poker players recognize when to tighten or loosen their play in accordance with the tournament stage or cash table condition. Mixing your game style and changing gears is an important tool for a successful poker player.

There is no hard and fast rule as to when and how to mix up your play; it is a feel thing best developed by practice. As a pointer, loosen up in a tournament when the table player number lessens or on a cash table if fewer opponents are seated. Begin playing your style common to that situation (whatever that is) and after half an hour throw a spanner in the works. Do not commit your chip stack to a one off hand; just do enough to keep others guessing.

If experimenting with different play styles, do your homework beforehand. Make certain you can afford the buy-in and see what you can bring to your regular game. It may persuade you to make a small adjustment in attitude or give you a better understanding of how another style of player reacts in a situation you encountered from the other side.

A static play style is one reason some players never win.

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6. Tilt continued

To avoid going on tilt, look at the hand that ripped a big hole in or demolished your stack. The only useful thing to take from that hand is information. Gain all you can about the play by the betting actions. Often you will see some reason for the play; make detailed notes on the player involved and look forward to them being in the next big hand with you.

Always consider when you have taken a bad beat; were there things you could have done to have lessened or avoided the loss. If yes, learn from it; if no, congratulate yourself for out-playing your opponent and stick your tongue out to the poker gods.

And if you do go on tilt; leave your casino seat, log off (if online), make a cup of tea, pick your nose or go for a walk... do anything other than play poker.

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7. Emotion continued

Getting irritated or distressed at the poker table will lessen your enjoyment of the game and may lead to poor decision making. Often you are better off taking some time out to regain your composure, rather than losing more of your hard earned cash which only compounds the reasons to be upset.

If you are multi-tabling, do not let a mistake (by you or another player) on one table affect the way you play on a different table.

Try to keep positive thoughts foremost in your mind, even if those thoughts are for other players. For instance; there are four players left in a nine seat Sit and Go tournament where three get paid, you and one other are the short stacks. If the other short stack player is deep in a hand, you will be willing them to be knocked out. If however they have the best hand and double up, do not curse; instead celebrate with a mental ‘Yay for the short stack,’ because it is those short stack players (you) that you wish the fortune to continue with.

Do not play drunk; just don’t. Players make poor choices when feeling loose and play accordingly. Drunkenness can also loosen your perception of the acceptable table talk used which may result in a card room or online poker site ban.

If you are enjoying a poker game and a drink with friends for low stakes, it is about the fun and the poker. However at other times, if playing in a casino or a serious online poker game, be aware of how much you drink. I know some players who will not drink any alcohol during the day if they are playing poker in the evening. I myself prefer to save a beer for the end of the night to celebrate a good cash win.

Finally, poker is supposed to be a game of fun, no matter if you are trying to earn a few dollars or just playing for the experience. It is not worth getting infuriated at a $5 or $500 loss when playing within your bankroll; so long as you can afford the stakes you are playing at, you will make up your losses and more besides the next time you play. Keep that in mind and you’ll do fine.

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8. Learn to play correctly continued

Where to begin…

There are so many facets to poker play, and advice from differing sources may be contradictory. This is just the tip of the iceberg; correct play depends upon the variances of the cards, style of players involved in each hand and your personal play strategy.

Understand position

Crucial to decision making, is understanding how you may and how others do act from any table position.

Play starting hands worth playing

For a price, any two cards (in Texas Hold’em) are worth playing. However if you play them all, you will need to hit too many flops in a big way to make it profitable. I like to look at my starting hands in terms of confidence. For instance; if you have called a 3 x raise holding K-3 in the big blind and K-10-8 is flopped, how confident can you be to bet; and then if your bet is raised where are you in the hand. For sure, have some fun with suited connectors occasionally or regularly if that is your playing style; but do not play just any two cards, in every hand.

Pay attention

Always pay attention to the cards on the table. They help you make the correct decisions when it is your turn to act.

Show commitment

Do not be afraid to commit to the pot. If you have a very good hand, you should not be afraid of getting your chips into the middle. Without the infrequent ‘absolute nut’ hand, poker is always focused on risk. If you shy away from all risk, you will not earn enough from your risk free hands to compensate for the hands you let go because of fear.

Be smart with your betting

Smart betting involves smart decisions. Decisions are based upon other players’ actions and habits, the board cards and blind/stack ratio.

A smart betting decision may be to fold pocket Aces if four suited cards are on show and you are not on that suit with others betting strongly. A smart betting decision may be to bet strongly when holding A-A and two suited cards are on the board with which you have or have not matched. If you are drawing to a top hand, you may want to build a pot; conversely if you are trying to prevent another player from drawing a hand that may beat yours, make a smart bet that a drawing player should not call. In all events, your betting must be clear in your mind and hopefully clear to the table.

Comprehend pot odds

Comprehend pot odds, but do not mistake them for a ticket to riches. Pot odds are an important tool for poker players that should not be over relied upon.

Pots odds are best used post-flop as a method of advice. Here is a link to a know-poker page explaining pot odds. I like to think it will be useful to you, but if not, you should seek more information from another source about pot odds as a tool.

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9. Learn by the mistakes of others and yourself continued

Similar to learning to play correctly; where to begin…

There are some interesting poker plays that may initially seem a clear mistake; look closer and while it may still be a mistake, you may see reason for the action. Some mistakes will be a simple misread of a hands strength. Other mistakes may be encouraged by a players' deceptive skills or even just the blind/stack ratio inviting a higher risk poker strategy. Mistakes may also be in a general play style or play pattern. Whatever is the case, look and learn.

Assessments

Do not assume that because a player has played one poor starting hand out of position, they are a poor player; and if that player proves to be loose to the point of reckless, do not assume they never hold a good hand.

Pot odds are not the be all and end all of a drawing hand

Pot odds have their uses as a poker player’s tool used in conjunction with intelligent play and game state. When implemented, do not draw without the proper odds. Do not call large bets to make your straight if a flush looks likely to have you beat. Oh, and if you call for that straight, make sure you are going for the higher end of it.

Understand the difference between slow-playing and the check raising

Slow-playing is to disguise the strength of your hand by betting less than the common value, or smooth calling a bet where you may have raised. The intention is to take the pot in a later betting round.

The type of hand you slow-play should be much stronger than one you check raise, as by doing this you allow the other player(s) more cards.

A check raise is a simple poker trap. You consider you have a good hand, better than your opponent(s), but one that can be beaten.

A common mistake is to slow-play a hand that does not have sufficient strength; and then to continue believing in the hand when many things suggest otherwise.

Do not bluff too often

An Internet fact (so it is as reliable as 7-2 off suit) says; a study has shown that bluffing 11% of the time is correct. More than that and you will be called, less than that and you will not earn. However, that cannot be taught or properly explained, because what counts as a bluff to one player will be a positional bet to others, or a semi-bluff (say betting on 2nd pair) to anyone else. The timing of the bluff is important too. It’s a feel thing.

If you want your opponents to fold when you bluff, the frequency should be rare and the bets convincing when you do.

A common misconception is, you will win at poker when you have a rubbish poker hand by simply placing a large bet thinking no one will call you; this is not true.
A stone cold poker bluff (as seen on TV) is much overrated. Bluffs do not form the corner-stone of a successful player's game, they are a calculated poker play that should not be over used.

Know when to fold

Generally, if a hand takes a nasty turn and you think you are beat, muck it and move on. There will be situations where pot odds justify a call, but if you consider that you are behind with only a limited number of ways to improve your hand, you should think about folding.

Once your chips are in the middle they are gone, do not throw good money after bad. It is a mistake to think, ‘I’ve already put that much in the pot, so I have to stay in now.’

Show strength by leaving chips behind; good players will recognize the strength in that play.

Do not show strength for the sake of it

Pre-flop, post-flop or at the end of a hand, if someone keeps betting and you know they must be bluffing do not call just to ‘keep them honest.’ Call if you think you have a better hand or better still raise. Otherwise you are calling with what you think is the worst hand and that is clearly not good economics.

The Hail Mary play

There is no need to gamble on a cash table; some hands may incorporate a higher risk play (semi bluff, positional bluff). Some players will make more high risk plays than others, these should rarely be a total gamble; even if a player is making a stone cold bluff, the play must be considered.

There are times to gamble in a tournament; usually these will involve a blind/stack consideration. Other than that, rely on your poker playing skills to out-play your opponents; do not throw good money away hoping for a miraculous flop, turn or river card.

Do not play too passively

There are many successful players who adopt a poker strategy incorporating passive play in their game. Those players will have a side to their game that may be passive pre-flop, passive early in a tournament, passive around the bubble or at other undefined periods. However, a total passive player too often will not earn.

Do not spread yourself too thin

Multi-table play may have its place for already experienced players capable of quickly understanding other players, the board cards and game state, or if simply trying to clear bonuses. The attention that a player may give to each table will be limited. Playing more tables will not benefit a new player’s learning curve; the best learning information is gained at the end of a hand and all will be lost if you have to flick to another screen to play there.

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10. Know your own game continued

Are you a cash table player, tournament player, no limit, pot limit, cap limit or fixed limit player. Does the current most popular game, no limit Texas Hold’em suit you; how about Razz, Stud or H.O.R.S.E. Find which games you enjoy the most and work at making yourself successful in them.

Keep a basic (or detailed) financial record of your play. This will maintain a check on your poker bankroll and if used with detailed analysis, can pinpoint where your profits and losses occur. Also this helps to confirm your long term progress. One session or several days may have gone badly; heck, we have all had a few bad weeks, but a quick check on the profit and loss sheet will soon tell you that, overall you’re doing okay.


Finally

If you have gotten through my poker tips section (I expect in several sessions) and are still suffering some losses, that is okay as long as you are enjoying your time at the tables. Because, if you have the dedication to read all of my ramblings, then you do have the strength to follow some of the advice found within this website (and at other places) that will make you a long term winner.

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