The Poker Agent

Hold ‘Em tips of the trade

Texas Hold ‘Em is the flagship game of the poker industry. It is the most played, the most televised and yields the biggest prizes of any of the poker variants including Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo and Stud poker. Many a book has been written about Hold ‘Em strategy and tactics, and while it is advisable to find your own personal style in the game, it is well worth swatting up on what millions of other players are using as their basis for successful poker play.

Know your card ranks
The following tips are the most commonly referenced pointers for beginner players and whether you choose to follow them or not, knowing what’s going through your opponents mind can only be a good thing. First off, ensure that you are fully aware of the value of your cards at hand and make sure that you play them accordingly. Learn the ranking system and improve your knowledge of probabilities. High marginal hands are the downfall of many a beginner so make sure you truly understand the potential of your hole cards.

Play strong hands
When starting out, it is advisable to only play your strong hands in the first instance, giving you time to observe play and get used to the poker table and players before risking too much money. Be aware that other ‘fish’ may be doing the same thing which actually makes a new player very difficult to judge.

Be prepared to fold
ALWAYS be prepared to fold your cards. This is essential when playing poker. Folding will always be an option because scientifically, the cards are handed out randomly and may prove to be very bad. No matter how experienced a player you are, there will be some hands that you just can’t play and that would be suicide to press on with. The term ‘calling station’ is applied to poor players, generally beginners, who go in on every hand in the hope of a win percentage. These players are easy to spot and get mopped up pretty quickly by more experience players, if not by their own doing.

Pre-flop aggression
Play high pairs or strong hands aggressively before the flop and try to kick off as many players if you are in a good position at this stage. There’s no point in going after low-end and open-end straights. Make a point of always following the high-end straights only and leave alone the others.

Position at the table
One important thing to put into consideration whenever playing poker is your position at the table. Being in a late position i.e. to the right of the dealer, is favorable as you are able to watch how the betting round has unfolded. If no-one has bet, for example, it may be possible to steal the pot just by placing any bet. The early position i.e. the first three seats to the left of the dealer, is considered the worst position as you must act without much prior information. It’s usually advisable to play strong hands when you’re in the early position.

Watch your tells
Be aware of your physiology. Extreme emotions is almost always going to present itself somehow. If you feel highly excited, for example, it is likely that your breathing will quicken, your pupils will dilate and you may be touching your cards in eagerness to play them. Other players are attuned to this and will be looking out for such signs. Regulating your emotions is the best way to stay undetected.

Check your ego
A common problem at the poker tables can be players egos. Another player may attempt to bully you off the table by berating your play and talking up their own hands or experience. For your sanity, ignore this. The player is trying to make you tilt which is to say, goad you into a state of irrationality where your emotions cloud your judgement. Don’t allow yourself to be dragged into a battle of egos and be careful if you try this tactic for yourself. It takes as much concentration to talk the talk as it does to play cards and you could find you take your eye off the ball and simply wind up looking like an idiot.

Know your opponent
Taking the time to step into your opponent’s shoes is essential. The tips above will not just be employed by yourself but by millions of players across the myriad poker rooms online. By understanding that your opponent is just like you, with the same thought processes, motivations and goals you can humanize them and build a picture of the type of player they are. Monitor their betting behaviour, how often they win, how long they take to act and so on. It can be useful to observe poker games without partaking sometimes to get an idea of methods of play online.

Enjoy yourself
The key to getting better at poker is to enjoy yourself. Poker takes practice and to get really good, generally many, many hours spent grinding it out at the tables day after day. To spend so much time at something, you have to have a passion for it. So don’t put too much pressure on yourself to make money or ‘be a shark’ in the first instance. Everyone has to start somewhere and the majority of us settle for making a nice win now and again- nothing to give up the day job for. Aspiring to go pro is fine, but make sure you keep a foot in reality and play responsibly.