If you want to learn how to play poker, listen up. There are countless resources available on the internet. The challenge is to find the tools designed for your individual skills level. Here are few tips on how to improve your game… without spending a dime!
The Basics of How to Play Poker
Before you can master Texas hold’em, Omaha, draw or stud, you must learn the basics. Understanding the rules, hand rankings, table positions and bets is a good place to start. Once you have that down pat, you can move on to more complex subjects.
If you are wondering where to start, simply fire up your web browser and search for ‘how to play poker for beginners.’ That way, you will have access to numerous videos and ‘how to’ guides targeting rookies. Some are obviously better than others.
Tip #1 - Always get your information from a reliable source. Online poker rooms are your best bet. They have a vested interest in providing easy-to-understand how to play poker guides.
At Juicy Stakes Poker, for instance, we have published three how to play poker for beginners’ guides:
- Texas Hold’em Rules – How to Play Poker
- Omaha Hi-Lo Rules
- Omaha Rules
All are posted on the FAQ page and freely available to everyone.
Where to Learn the Key Concepts of Poker
You know the basics. Now it is time to transition from the how to play poker guides to more in-depth concepts and strategies – the so-called fundamentals of poker.
Blogs and articles posted on online poker sites are invaluable in this regard. There is a slew of information covering a wide range of subjects, from the mechanics of game theory to calculating expected value.
The best blogs are written by experienced poker players. They explain complicated topics in simple terms. They also zoom in on playing style, how to read hands and how to master the art of bluffing.
How to play poker audio guides are fantastic resources for new, intermediate, and advanced poker players. Recommended podcasts include:
- Thinking Poker
- Smart Poker Study
- Just Hands Poker
- Postflop Poker
Tip #2 – harness the knowledge, expertise, and insights of the poker pros. Take an active interest in what experienced players have to say in blogs, podcasts – and the poker articles here at Juicy Stakes!
How to Learn to Play Poker Via Chat Groups and Forums
How to learn to play poker need not focus solely on the academic or theoretical side of the game. There are more engaging and interactive ways of how to learn to play poker online.
Taking part in virtual discussions in poker forums and chat groups is a great way to pick up useful tips and tricks. It is also the ideal place to ask for explanations about topics you have not fully grasped.
Depending on the platform, rookies and mid-level players can ask more advanced poker buffs for advice. In some cases, they can even post and discuss hands they have played to identify common mistakes.
Top ranked poker forums and discussion groups are all over the internet: Reddit, Quora, Facebook and more.
Tip #3 – chatting to more experienced players in real-time is one of the quickest and easiest ways of improving your poker playing skill sets.
Free and Paid Poker Training Apps and Courses
Forums, chat groups, podcasts and blogs offer theoretical insights on how to play poker and win. How about the practical side of learning how to master the game of poker? Practice is, after all, the key to long-term success.
There are a good few options that allow you to learn as you play. Training apps like Texas Hold’em Poker Pokerist, DTO Poker Trainer, SnapShove, RunItOnce and Poker Fighter are useful mobile coaching tools.
These and other poker trainers are available as free or paid apps at the respective app stores. Some, like Poker Fighter, provide instant feedback from poker pros, as you play. Others offer a fun and unique approach to poker training.
In addition to mobile apps, there is an infinite number of poker coaching courses available online. Udemy, for instance, offers free poker tutorials and paid courses. They are in the form of on-demand videos, player rated for your convenience.
What do you get from a paid over a free poker training course? A one-on-one with the coach, virtual question and answer sessions and direct messaging facilities with an instructor.
The beauty of online poker coaching courses is they cost the equivalent of a few average buy-ins. What you get in return is a sure way to long-term success.
Tip #4 – learn how to play poker, the practical way. Exploit free and paid mobile poker training apps. Sign up for poker coaching courses online. Be sure to focus on your specific area of interest, be it cash games, MTTs or Sit N Gos.
Play Micro Stakes Poker at Juicy Stakes
The best way to up your game is to play poker online for real money… and the trick is to start at micro stakes tables. That way, you mitigate the risk.
At Juicy Stakes Poker, you can play no limit and pot limit hold’em and pot limit Omaha. Stakes range from $0.10 / $0.25 to $10 / $20 and more. What that of course means is Juicy Stakes is the perfect place to learn how to play poker… without busting the bankroll!
Tip #5 - play micro stakes poker at Juicy Stakes Poker and level up as your gameplay improves. We offer a welcome bonus, rakeback deal, daily freerolls and access to Juicy Stakes Casino. What more could you possibly want?
