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Three Ways To Improve Your Skills At Texas Holdem Poker
Three Ways To Improve Your Skills At Texas Holdem Poker
by Christopher Lam
Close your eyes. Imagine the beauty and let the moment
soak in. Picture this: You and Phil Helmuth, heads up, playing for a million dollars.
Every hand is important. Every chip is vital.
Now open your eyes, and come back to reality because this is NEVER going to happen
if you don't arm yourself with the right ammunition. There are millions of new
poker players out there that wish they could get "lucky" enough to wind up at
a final table. The fact of the matter is, however, it's not merely "luck" that
will bring you to a final table.
The reason poker is called a sport is because it takes skill to play it. And like
every other sport, there are varying levels of "athletes" who have mastered different
skills. This article will not make you into a professional poker player. Rather,
it will give you the skills to practice playing poker the right way. And as we
all know, practice makes perfect. So here are three easy ways you can start to
practice in Texas Holdem poker right now.
Step 1: Playing Smart
In the immortal words of Kenny Rogers, "you've got know when to hold 'em, know
when to fold 'em." Whether you want to display a style that is ultra "tight" or
ultra "aggressive," you must always abide by this rule. While it's fun to play
hands and see flops, especially when it only costs you a few dollars, you must
display some sort of restraint when playing Texas Holdem poker. This means not
playing that Jack/Four off suit when it has been raised before the flop. This
first step might sound pretty obvious, but it is a major downfall for many beginning
players. Step one isn't as easy as it may seem either. There are many factors
and many outlying situations that one must consider.
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Step 2: Playing Smart by considering "Position"
Position might be the single most important part of betting in Texas Holdem poker.
As a beginner, you might be wondering what that means. The single greatest position
you can be in is called "on the button". This means that you are the designated
dealer for that hand. So why does that give you a clear-cut advantage? Well it
gives you the opportunity to see every other player bet and act on their cards
before you have to. SO, if you have a marginal hand "on the button", it may be
a smart idea to see a flop or even raise before the flop. When you are "on the
button," never let your guard down. This is your chance to pick up "tells" on
other players. That doesn't necessarily mean that you will be able to read their
face. Rather, it does mean you can read them by the way they bet. It is simply
a way for you to pick up on weakness or strength, and measure it against your
own cards. Speaking of cards, that brings me to the next step.
Step 3: Folding "Monsters"
So you look down at your hole cards and see pocket Aces, the single most beautiful
sight in all of Texas Holdem poker. Naturally, you raise before the flop. But
two other players call your raise. Out comes the flop: King of spades, Queen of
spades, four of spades. Now you have something to worry about: a flush draw. You
bet again and are quickly called by the player next to you. Out comes the turn:
Jack of Spades. Now you really have something to worry about; if the player next
to you is holding ANY spade, you are automatically a loser. You check to that
player and they go "all in." This is where you have to learn how to fold a "monster."
It can be really hard to fold pocket aces, but in some situations it is necessary.
The moral of the story is to NEVER just play your cards, but always be considering
what another player might hold. When a player bets a huge amount of chips with
four suited cards on the board, you can almost always assume that they have the
flush. Now don't take my advice on EVERY hand you play, I am speaking in generalities,
which can always be broken when it comes to poker.
There you have it, three easy ways to significantly improve your skills in Texas
Holdem poker. This is just the beginning, there are millions of other ways you
can increase your chances of winning by simply doing the little things. So stay
tuned for more tips.
Read Lam's recent article about the difference between an Internet
poker tournament and a cash game. Click
Here
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