Beginner Poker Tips You Won’t Find in Books

LAS VEGAS - JULY 8: Professional poker player Sam Farha competes on the second day of the World Series of Poker no-limit Texas Hold 'em main event at the Rio Hotel & Casino July 8, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Are you completely new to online poker? Trying to find the best poker books? Here are a few quick and handy tips you might not necessarily find in poker books, but will nonetheless improve your game.

Do not play poker drunk

Needless to say, you will regret it in the morning. You will make mistakes, play recklessly and miss important information.

Play less poker hands

You should only be playing about one out of every five hands, and you will probably fold 2/3 of these hands after the flop. Ideally, you want to have an advantage over your opponents when going into the flop. Do not waste your money with trash hands. Likewise, just because you paid the blind does not mean you have to call a pre-flop raise. It is much wiser to fold worthless heads.

Study other poker players

Before you sit down at online cash games, join the tables as an observer. Take just a few minutes to study the type of opponents you will be up against. Try to find patterns in their playing style. If it looks as if there are a few very strong players, pick a different table. Ideally, look for tables with a high percentage of players seeing the flop. This will give you the edge over other players before you even start.

Stay focused on poker

It is important to watch every hand that gets played, even if you decide to fold your cards pre-flop. Turn off the table chat if you feel that it could possibly be distracting you from playing your best poker game.

Do not get discouraged

Not every hand you are dealt is a winning hand. Every poker player takes a really bad beat once in a while. A losing or winning streak is not a reason to stop playing. However if you feel you are not on top form or that you are losing focus, it might be a good idea to step away from the screen for a few minutes.