Even though it seems like a simple enough game, poker is incredibly complex. What’s more, studying all those advanced strategies can be quite intimidating and overwhelming. However, when you read a few tips and study this game a bit, becoming a winning poker player is not that hard or complicated at all. There are things you can do, such as selecting the right game, managing your bankroll properly, and following some simple tips. All this can lead to coming up with an effective online poker strategy. So, let’s see which strategies you can use that will actually help you win something.
Play Fewer Hands Aggressively
Many online poker tips will tell you that playing fewer hands is the best strategy. As you know, there is a limit on how many hands you can play before the flop, and if you try to play a bigger number of hands, you will bleed away your chips. That’s why you can develop a preflop strategy that can help you improve your bottom line. Also, if you decide to play fewer hands, you should stay diligent with that plan and never get impatient and play a hand that is not worth playing. Instead, play a tight range of strong hands and play them aggressively. When you play all the hands this way, it allows you to disguise the strength of the hand you actually have pretty well.
Never Be the First Player to Limp
Limping is a popular term for the big blind preflop. You never want to be the first player to limp when entering a pot. The two main reasons why you should avoid this play include:
There is, of course, one acceptable situation to limp. You can only limp when at least one player has already done that. There is a term for this – over-limping – and it’s a good play since you then get great pot odds to join the action and hit something good on the flop.
Aggressive ‘Semi-Bluffs’ with Your Draws Work
Poker does require a good poker face, which means plenty of effective bluffing. And if you don’t bluff well, or do it less effectively, you might lose a lot of money fast. So, how can you keep your bluffing frequency and effectiveness under control?
The best way to achieve this is to rely on the cards you have. Your cards can dictate if you’re going to bluff or not. This means that you can bluff with hands that have outs to improve to the best hand later on. This includes hands such as straight draws, flush draws and even an overcard or two. And you can easily use these draws as a backup plan in case someone calls your bluff.
You Can Value Bet the Fish Relentlessly
In poker, most of the money you win comes from strong hands. However, the biggest problem here is that strong hands don’t come around that often, and when they do, you have to really make the most out of them. When you are waiting for those strong cards, you can miss some opportunities to increase the size of the pot, especially against fish. With a strong hand, don’t be cute and avoid going for some deceptive lines (slowplaying). It can happen that the deception will go over the opponents’ heads and you will leave that money on the table.
So, be as straightforward as possible with your strong hands. And remember not to scare your opponents off with big bets. If they have something in their hand they will call you down. But don’t bluff them, as they can call it out.
If You’re Unsure, Fold
We, as humans, are naturally curious and want to win. And when we fold, we simply give up on the chance to potentially win the pot and our brains simply don’t let us fold. However, when you are unsure if there is a chance to win, it is best to fold. Even the most amazing players know when it is time to give up on a good hand when they think they are beaten. Also, when you call too often and in the wrong situations you are risking losing this game. So, whenever unsure, fold it.
There is no one strategy that works wonders in poker. You do have to have some skills in order to successfully play a poker game. But there are tips that can help you improve, of course. Make sure to work on your bluff, be sure when to play your hand right, and even play fewer hands. Also, don’t forget that there is no shame in folding. All these can only lead to more and more successful poker games.