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Beginners
Poker Strategy
Party Poker

Strategy Overview for Poker Players

When it comes to games such as Texas Hold’em, strategy and bluffing become a necessity. Like all variants of poker, the objective is to beat out the other players and take the pot. Because Texas Holdem is one of the most popular forms of online Poker, we will have a look at some important strategies to keep in mind when playing. 

The object is to take your five cards and beat out the rest of the players at the table. One of the more important elements is trying to ready your opponents to determine whether they are bluffing or truly holding the winning hand. 

Before we begin, there are some important questions to ask yourself before laying down real money:

How much money do I have to wager?
How much money should I wager?
How many other player’s are at the table?

Keeping in mind your budget and how much you are willing to start at, you can then proceed to play and have fun too. Also important to remember is depending on the amount of other players, you can quickly determine your odds. With fewer players the odds of winning become greater; the more player’s at the table the odds of course become lesser. But, keep in mind that more player’s means the bigger the pot.

Pre-flop 

Once you are dealt the first two cards, you should quickly glance at them then forget about them. What is most important here is the other players. You have to try and guess what they are holding. This is the most important element in pre-flop strategy.

Let’s have a look at a scenario

You are up against four other players’ and you are dealt a Queen of Spades and a Seven of Diamonds. Four players have greatly increased your odds in winning, but don’t get to excited – this has also increased your opponent’s odds. The card you are depending on is the Queen.

A round of betting begins and you can choose to bet, raise, check or fold. We will go with bet in this scenario. Your safest course of action will always be ‘check’, but keep in mind the amount of players. If you choose to ‘raise’, make sure it’s a low, amount. Going all-in is foolish at this point. You don’t want to risk everyone around you folding. Your main objective is to win money. If another player raises the stakes first, remember the odds then call it.

Next are the community cards

Six of Diamonds
King of Spades
Two of Hearts. 

At this point you are weighing the risks. Your first assumption is a loss situation and you think it’s not worth the risk. But once again remember the amount of players at the table. These in fact are great cards in relation to your hand. The King of Spades is of interest because the dealer may still put out an Ace of Spades, or Jack of Spades.

Keep in mind the seven of Diamonds. The dealer may put out a five or possibly an eight of Diamonds. The community still requires two more cards to be dealt. It’s now time to place your wager once again with the same choices as before. With your bankroll full and the game just getting started, it is highly recommended you place a wager.

Now the stakes will change. You’re opponents will no doubt get the ball rolling and some will start the bluffing, which includes you. Try and make them think you may or already have a winning hand. Now the first round of bets go round, and before you ‘check’, increase you’re wager by a fairly small to medium amount. Wait and see what happens, the odds are in your favor and there is no doubt that one or more opponent will call it. 

The next community card is dealt and in this scenario that card is another Queen. Your odds just shot through the roof; you currently hold a ‘high pair’. Now is the time to proceed with caution. The next wager you make needs to maintain mystery. By this we mean, if you go all in, you still risk everyone folding on you. Raise a fair amount and let it ride around the table, odds are one of your opponents will see your wager and raise you. Going around the table again, it’s likely you will lose one opponent to a fold, or quite possibly be raised again – see that raise as well.

Finally, the last community card is dealt and because this scenario is just fantastically on your side, it’s another Queen. If at home, feel free to jump for joy and scream as loud as you like. If at a real table in a real casino, keep a blank face and shut up! You now hold a three of a kind and high. Proceed with the bet and go head to head if you so choose. If a player goes all in, you go all in. Odds are you just won a nice big piece of the pot, or more than likely the entire thing.

This scenario made your life and evening a very happy one. However, putting the exact same scenario against a table of ten players changes everything. The game becomes much more intense and challenging. Your odds on winning just got lower because you have to guess at what nine other players are holding.

If you get a two of hearts and four of diamonds, the hand is low and to be honest not that great. Unless the dealer puts down three ‘4’s’ or three ‘2’s’, the chances will be slim. If on the other hand, you are dealt two kings, or any high pair, your chances just got a whole lot better. 

Remember two rules

1.    The amount of players will increase or decrease odds
2.    Your own cards importance depends greatly on the number of players.

In summary, we have a few helpful tips


•    You get two cards that set you apart from other players. Everything depends on your two cards. 
•    Community cards are laid on the table for all other players to see. Ignore your own cards and focus on what the community cards mean to your opponents. 
•    It’s a certainty; you will start off with bad hands, be patient the good ones will come through eventually.
•    Don’t take the game to seriously. Remember dealing cards is completely random.

Try it for free first and practice reading the opponents. Get a real feel for bluffing and the betting structure involved.

 
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