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Basic Poker Playing Tips


1. Play only the best starting hands. If you are dealt a weak hand, fold quickly. One of the greatest mistakes of beginning players is to play a lot of hands, whereas top players typically play only 20-30% of their starting hands.

2. If you can't beat them, don't join them. If you have a weak hand, and assume that the other players have good hands, fold. It's better to fold and live to play another hand.

3. Be selective and aggressive. Experienced Poker players know when not to commit chips to a hand, and when to play to get more money in the pot. Aggressive players can win either by forcing others out of the hand, or by holding the best cards. Passive players can only win by holding the best cards at the showdown.

4. Study your opponents. In online Poker games, body language is irrelevant but studying the actions of your opponents can still give you an advantage. It is possible at many online Poker rooms to observe a table before joining it, and even during a game one can learn a lot about the playing skills of different players. Watch how opponents bet, how much they bet, when they hesitate, and note in what position they are betting.

5. Use position. In Poker games, position is power. Acting after opponents is valuable because you garner clues about their hands while giving out minimal information regarding your own. Also, against one or two opponents, you can often take the pot with a mere bet if they've checked to you.

6. When losing, gear down. If the cards are against you, play fewer hands, stay away from marginal hands, make opponents work hard to draw you out, and never play weak hands from a starting position.