It is hard to codify a top ten list of strategies in poker but we do know what the number one strategy is: disregard the rake and the rake schedule. The Juicy Stakes Poker rake is limited to $3 maximum per pot. So, it is not as important as the following strategies are!
Start Playing Poker at Low Stakes
There is a lot to learn in poker. There are very few “naturals” in poker. So, by playing as a beginner in low stakes games, you can minimize your risk while you are learning to play the game.
Start by Playing at One Table Only
We do have experienced players who can juggle more than one table at a time. As a beginner, you should focus all of your concentration on a single table. For beginners, one table is enough of a challenge; it would be a mistake to give yourself an even greater challenge by trying to play at multiple tables. In time, you might develop the skill to play at several tables at once.
Make Sure that There are no Distractions
At land based poker rooms, there may be distractions that are unavoidable. At home, you should be sure that there are no distractions. That means, fix the drip in the faucet, remove any clocks that tick too loud, make sure the lighting is good, make sure that you have enough water to stay hydrated, and so on.
Make Sure that you Have Taken Care of All of Your Responsibilities
Poker is a game that requires full and deep concentration,. If you are thinking about a work project, you should attend to the project until you can leave it for a while and devote your full attention to poker.
Poker should never be just a break from work. It is a form of work in itself and requires the same level of commitment to detail.
Sit Upright when Playing Poker
Playing online casino games is a great activity for lounging on the sofa and playing on the mobile platform. Poker is different! We suggest investing in a very comfortable chair that you can sit in for long stretches of time.
Keep in mind, that we are not talking about avoiding bathroom breaks. We also highly recommend standing and stretching. We simply mean that you will inevitably end up sitting for long stretches of time and the comfort of the chair will certainly have an effect on your overall play.
Think about hiking in shoes that are just okay. You would naturally invest in hiking shoes that are much better than just okay! Think about hiking in the winter with clothes that keep you “not cold”. Wouldn’t you be willing to invest in clothes that keep you warmer in cold weather than just “not cold”?
The same thinking applies to your poker playing chair!
By the same token, you might think about buying a screen that could make playing poker more comfortable.
Expect Poker to Challenge You Emotionally
It is inevitable that you will incur some bad beats.
It is imperative that you learn to control your emotions. The poker term for a condition in which a player has lost control of his or her emotions is “tilt”. Tilt is the bane of many poker players. Tilt usually comes when you suffer a bad beat.
It may also be caused by a mistake in judgment on your part. Or it could bar, as we have seen many times on YouTube, Phil Helmuth has tilted when an amateur played a hand “wrong”, Helmuth played the hand “right” and the amateur lucked out on the river!
Play Poker Emotionally
Thinks seems to contradict the previous tip but it doesn’t. On the one hand, we have to control our emotions. On the other hand, when our emotions are under control, we can use them to our advantage!
Play both passively and aggressively. There is no magic formula that defines the best passive or aggressive attitude on any single hand. With your emotions under control, you will develop good instincts for when passivity is called for and when aggressiveness is called for.
The most aggressive play in poker is bluffing. It is very hard for beginners to learn the subtleties of bluffing because they are still learning how to approach the game emotionally. When the time is right, you will “discover” bluffing and your game will improve by leaps and bounds.
Another aspect of playing both passively and aggressively is to mix up your play so your opponents can’t hone in on your playing tendencies. Confusing opponents is a big part of winning at poker!
On the other hand, you should do everything you can to identify an opponent’s tendencies. This leads to the next tip:
Appreciate the Power of Concentration
Identifying an opponent’s tendencies is almost always a function of paying attention which is an important aspect of concentration. Embrace the power of concentration! If you learn to concentrate more fully and deeply in poker, you will probably be able to challenge that skill in your everyday life!
One under-appreciated way to focus attention on small details is to take notes during a game. The very act of writing down or typing out notes to yourself is a great way to improve your overall concentration.
Improving your concentration will also help you think faster. Look at poker in the same way you learned how to drive. Beginning drivers “think” about everything they see and do! After a while, the thinking and doing become second nature. The same is true in poker!
A further aspect of deep concentration is that it enables players to learn new things all the time. New players need to appreciate the value of learning new things. Even the most proficient poker players’ learn new things every day! Excellence in poker can be summed up as the result of always being open to new information.
Join Juicy Stakes to Get a Great Online Poker Experience
There is quite a bit more to say on the subject of the “top ten tips” for new poker players! We will return to the subject soon! We hope that by then you have played a lot of poker here at Juicy Stakes.
Our last advice to the wise for now is: JOIN JUICY STAKES POKER NOW!
