Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, learning how to get better at poker should be at the top of everyone’s list. For novices, it’s the process of establishing strategies and a style of play. For the experienced, it’s about finding avenues to extract every last inch out of your game.
In poker, luck is integral to success, but to succeed, players need to go beyond the cards and into the sphere of strategy. This ranges from understanding your opponent’s poker personality and playing tight to bluffing and betting according to hand ranges. Joining a game of online poker means coming up against players of all skill levels from all over the world. So, if you’re able to formulate a game plan, you’re already ahead of most. Read on for some skills you need to develop when playing poker.
How Can I Get Better?
From strategy to mentality, there’s always a chance to improve at poker. Creating an arsenal of poker skills is the best way to adapt to any scenario seamlessly. For instance, if you aren’t holding the nut hand and a player who often folds raises high, then you should be able to predict that they likely have the nut hand and it’s a good time to fold.
Understanding poker can become tedious, but it’s not impossible. To win, there’s plenty more to understand than the cards in your hands and those placed down by the dealer. Here are some of the most effective ways to raise your game.
Overcome Bad Habits
A common theme among newcomers is falling into the trap of developing bad habits. So, the aim is to drop these habits that are costing you wins and build habits that elevate your poker performance.
They may sound obvious, but great habits include exercising every day and breathing fresh air (even for 15 minutes,) improving your diet with healthy food and ensuring you’re dedicating time every day to learning the game via books or videos, among other things. A healthy mind allows people to play their true game and not become distracted by an unhealthy mental space.
Be Spontaneous
Spontaneous play is at the heart of every professional game. If you want to win consistently, you need to be unpredictable, savvy and smart. Once opponents begin to understand the hand ranges you raise on or bet sizes you make when holding specific hands, the rest of the game can become excruciating. It’s as if they’re one step ahead — all the time.
Be sure to mix up your betting with raises, folds, checks and bluffs. Sometimes, losing on a bluff can lead to winning big down the line. For example, if you reveal your cards at the end of a round and it’s a bluff, the next time you get a strong hand, you’ll be able to use that previous bluff to your advantage as players begin to second-guess themselves and predict that you’re bluffing again.
Remember, poker is about perception. How others perceive and predict what your hand is, usually determines how they’re going to play against you.
Knowing When To Fold
Although it’s not spoken of enough, understanding when to fold is vital to the longevity of your online poker game. A common mistake between beginners and intermediates is losing big while holding a strong hand.
Before engaging in a big bet, it’s important to scout the community cards to get a gauge of the nut hand and available nut hands. For instance, if the flop produces a 7 of clubs, 9 of clubs and jack of clubs, it means the current nut hand is a flush. So, if you’re feeling confident with a jack pair, it may be better to save your chips and let the others battle it out.
Another game-ender is holding a strong hand, such as a straight or flush, but losing out to a higher-valued card. For example, you have a 10-high flush while your opponent’s is king-high. Be sure to identify all the hand possibilities at stake.
Understand Your Opponents
As mentioned before, understanding your opponents’ playing personalities is key. From here, you can adapt your strategy according to the players active in the round. Picture this; you’re head-to-head against a player who often folds and has decided to bet big. Unless you have the nut hand, it’s probably a good idea to fold.
Additionally, identifying players betting behavior associated with specific hand ranges is another effective avenue for understanding how an opponent reacts to various scenarios.
Manage Your Bankroll
Bankroll management should be one of your main priorities during an online poker game. Simply put, you need to be able to budget your money effectively, so you don’t risk losing more than you can afford.
Enhance Your Game on BetMGM
Want to develop your poker skills? Playing online is a great way to improve at poker rapidly. With the option of online poker tournaments, as well as low and high-stake games available 24/7, there’s always a table for everyone, regardless of skill level. Register today and explore our extensive poker variations — from Texas Hold’em and 7-card stud to Omaha.
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