Poker is a game where skill is the most important element, but luck also plays a big role. Even the best players can have bad runs. You’re going to get caught with the worst hand sometimes, and you’re going to lose large pots. It’s part of the game and you have to accept it.
Unlike some other games, you can’t play poker for free – there are always real money stakes. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it means you have to treat the game seriously. If you want to win at poker you need a plan and you need to follow it.
The first step is to choose the level of stakes you’re comfortable with. There’s no point in starting at the highest stakes and risking too much money before you have a solid foundation to build on. You’re better off playing a small amount of money and moving up slowly.
Next, start studying the strategy of other players. The more you study the better you’ll become at reading players. While most poker books focus on subtle physical tells and other tricks, the reality is that a large percentage of reads in poker come from patterns. If the player to your left is betting all of the time it’s likely that they’re holding some pretty crappy cards. Likewise, if you see someone folding all of the time it’s likely that their hands are strong and they’re being cautious.
Another area you need to improve is your range of hands. Beginners often stick to only playing strong starting hands, but if you’re serious about winning you need to open up your range and try to play more hands. However, don’t go crazy and start playing too many hands – that way you’ll be giving your opponents chances to make good hands against you.
A third area to improve is your flop and river play. Putting in a bet on the flop will force weaker hands to fold and will raise the value of your pot. Similarly, if you have two hearts on the flop and an opponent has a heart showing on the turn and river, you’ve hit your flush and taken them for a ride.
The final tip is to track your wins and losses. This will help you understand your long-term expected return on the game and how well you are doing compared to other players in your situation. It’s also a great tool for keeping yourself accountable and staying motivated. Having this information will also give you confidence and allow you to make more informed decisions at the tables. If you don’t track your results, it’s easy to fall into a cycle of losing and feeling discouraged about your poker skills. By tracking your wins and losses you can identify your weaknesses and work on them. Eventually you’ll be winning more than you are losing and you’ll start making some real money!