3 Quick Tips to Help You Play Online Poker Like a Pro
Online poker has exploded in popularity. More and more players
are winning big money in tournaments and other money games. In
order to win, you have to play like a pro. The best players are
educated on all aspects of poker. These three tips should help
your poker game improve vastly.
1. Don't be afraid to commit to the pot. When you have a very
good hand, you should always bet a fairly large amount. You can
try to draw players into the hand with slowly increasing bets.
If you make a large bet, and a player re-raises you, don't be
afraid to call. Some players attempt to scare others off by
re-raising. If you know that you have a solid hand, then don't
be scared off by a re-raise. Committing to the pot is not bad
when you know you have a solid hand. Someone who folds a good
hand because of a raise is generally just throwing his or her
money away. The best players play with a significant amount of
confidence. Confidence is shown when you stay in a hand that you
know you have a good chance at winning. In the end, poker is
still a game of chance. The players who are willing to take
chances (when they have a reasonably solid hand, of course) have
the most success.
2. Avoid underbetting the pot. This goes along the same lines as
"commit to the pot." If you simply bet a small amount after
every turn, then more players will be inclined to stay in. This
increases the chances of someone hitting cards and beating you.
The ideal betting scenario for someone with a good hand is to
bet just enough to keep one person in. Or, if it is one on one,
bet high enough to scare people off. This again relates to
confidence. The best players are confident in their hands, so
they don't worry about betting too much. Tentative players may
last longer than players who bet a lot in the beginning, but the
winners are those who know exactly when to be tentative and when
to be aggressive.
3. Know what to do with a draw. If you have a draw (you need one
more card to have an awesome hand), you have to be very careful.
For example, needing only one more card in order to have a flush
is very nice, but many players get over excited. Players
sometimes bet extremely high in these instances and then end up
losing the hand. It is important to know what to do in case of a
draw. You should either check or bet small. The only time you
should bet high is if you think that the other player does not
have anything.
It is difficult to win consistently in online poker. There is
always new competition, and lady luck will not always be on your
side. However, the pros always play smart poker, and make good
decisions. These tips should help you make better decisions and
have greater success with your poker game.