It is a common assertion that learning to play poker may take minutes but a lifetime to master it. The learning session starts when you engage your first poker hand. With the right skills, practice, and strategies, a regular player can ascend to a proficient player in a poker game. The discussion below outlines the ten easy to learn steps describing how to play poker.
Familiarize with the ranking of poker hands
Most of the poker games require the players to generate the hand with the strongest value. The hands are comprised of a combination of community and hole cards or rather pocket cards. Poker remains a game of mental prowess, attrition, and the art of smartness. You will also need to play around with numbers as you enjoy the game because the player with the highest-ranking hands will win the pot.
Learn the essential bankroll management techniques
Bankroll management is one of the most crucial techniques that you will ever learn in poker. The smartest players in poker are arguably keen at managing their money. You only need to play with affordable games and leave gambling to what you can let go. To achieve this, you ought to select your type of games and buy-ins keenly.
If you have a big bankroll and manage it properly, you will have minimal to no chances of dropping the betting stakes in poker sessions. It is the bankroll that dictates the stakes at which you play in every game.
Play strong hands for the start
Do not be so eager to cash in on the paly that you paly several staring hands as this will be disastrous in your gaming sessions. The exact percentage of hands to play pre-flop will be based on your intuition, your opponents’ actions, and the game at hand. The rule of the thumb is that if it seems good to call, it will be useful to raise. You may utilize a starting hands chart to increase your chances of winning in a poker game.
Some hands such as 4-2, 4-3, and 3-2 are unplayable while you can play other hands like Queen-Queen, King-King, Ace-Ace, Jack-Jack, and 10-10 in any position. Playing with a pair of pocket rockets elevates your winning odds as high as 85%.
Sit at a strategic position on the table
Select the position where you sit when during a poker-playing session as it really matters. Everything done in poker games revolves around the button with the exemption of stud poker. There are early position players (EP) who include the big and small blinds. These are found on the left button and cat first after three community cards, which is the flop.
Players seated on the right side of the button are the late position (LP), which is always last to act. The middle position seats lie between the late and early position. The best positions in a poker game are those that act the last post-flop as they give you the chance to see what other players do before acting.
Begin with a pre-flop play
The player that seats immediately to the left side of the big blinds starts a pre-flop action. The game progresses in a clockwise pattern going around the table, and the big blinds will be the last to act. Players can call, fold or raise when the pre-flop session is still ongoing. The betting round ends after players act, and the poker pot seeded.
Proceed with post-flop play
The flop is the initial three community cards on the poker table dealt for use by all the players. The poker game has five community cards with River and Turn to form the rest. After the three community cards, the players may check without making bets, raise, call, fold, or bet. Your move will depend on how strong your starting hand is, the actions that your opponents take, and your position on the table.
Play the post-turn poker
The Turn play comes after the players are done with the post-flop gaming round. This is the point where you will have similar options as those in pre-flop. The options include bet, raise, call, or check. Your moves here will depend on your intuition, table positions, and your position at the table.
Deal with the River
The last community card dealt with poker games is the River. You can readily win the pot if you make it up to this point. If you still possess a stone-cold poker face, your way to victory will be easy. You can increase your stakes and push for a win if so long as everyone checks.
The final stretch with a showdown
A showdown comes in when two or more players are left in hand. The winner will be the player with the strongest 5-card poker hand. In some poker games such as Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo or Omaha Hi-Lo, the player who takes the victory is the one with the low qualifying card.
Ante Up for Fresh Round of Poker
The end of a poker game sets the beginning of another round. As a seasoned poker player or a newbie, you will always be eager to jump back for another poker session, whether you win or lose. A win or lose will leave you with invaluable knowledge and experience to sharpen your poker plating skills.
