We found a fantastic source to help us compile the most important poker tips from some of the top players in the world. It is available at www.paradisepoker.com/champions. Each Paradise Champion has their own site with very interesting information.
Based on what we read and what we know, here’s what we feel are the Top 10 Poker Tips:
Most beginners play way too many starting hands, in fact top players typically play between 20-30% of their starting hands. Concentrate on higher value starting hands and help remove the luck element of the game.
Learn how to fold a hand, and don’t be a calling machine. Many beginners keep betting regardless of the board or what their opponent’s actions are suggesting. Top players frequently say it’s the hands you can lay down that are often the key to profitable play.
...if you want to win money. Sounds fairly obvious, but you should play at betting limits where you can beat the majority of players. Move down in limits if you are having difficulties winning money. In poker, always leave your ego at the door.
Especially when you aren’t in a hand. The best time to study is when you aren’t emotionally invested in the hand, and you can make more prudent observations. Watch how opponents bet, and how much they bet, in what position are they betting. Learning how your opponents play is key.
Betting is not always because you have the best hand. Top players use various betting techniques to try to gain information. For example, a defensive bet is one that you can use early on to avoid calling a bigger future bet. A re-raise may be used to probe the credibility of your opponent’s hand.
Once you have mastered Tips #4 &5, it is time to put your knowledge to work. Try putting yourself in your opponents shoes, and learn to put them on a hand. Ask questions like “Why did he re-raise me that amount?”, and “Why did he only call in the previous betting round?”, “Maybe because he only called me, he has a kicker problem?”
...at the right times against the right players, and at the right frequency. Bluffing is often a misunderstood concept, and much to many beginner’s dismay most pros use bluffs quite sparingly. A bluff can be very effective when used rarely, and where there is a seemingly low risk of being called by your opponent.
Unpredictability can be good. Most pros can figure out a really loose player by waiting for the nuts and being patient. However, an even easier opponent is a tight player or “rock”, who plays only the Group 1 type hands. You need to change your game up, and let them see that you can run bluffs, and can play some lower value starting hands. These changes should be subtle and shouldn’t dramatically affect the flop rate we mentioned in Tip #1
...and how it is critical. Not only is it important to play strong hands, it is even more important in what position you play them. For example, the ideal position is the Button (the Dealer), as you are last to act, and have the advantage of watching all of the betting action before you need to make a decision. eg. If the action before you consists of a bet, a raise, and a re-raise, and you hold a pair of Tens, you might think that folding is the right decision.
1 comment:
Just want to add, that when taking notes that it important that you use some form of shorthand that you can quickly type in. And of course you want to be able to understand what the shorthand means when you read it again several months after taking the notes.
I don’t want to suggest a list of abbreviations. It is essential that you think of your own abbreviations and shorthand.
But as an example, one of mine is OBORWS. This means On button, only raises with strength. It gives me a fairly good indication of how that person plays when on the button, and also lets me know how to defend my blinds against him.
www.Poker-Player-Notes.co.uk
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