If you are a beginner in Texas Holdem poker, the tips below will make your first steps in poker simpler and will significantly reduce the risk of bankruptcy.

  1. Never sit down at a table with your entire bankroll. Even the best player can go bankrupt this way. The luck factor is high in the short run. Having a sufficiently big bankroll (compared to the stakes) will let you avoid the risk of losing everything.
  2. Aggression plays an important role in poker. Whenever you have a strong hand, bet and raise. Thanks to that you will always have two chances to win – either by making your opponents fold of by having the best hand. If you play passively by checking and calling, you can win only by having the best hand and you also let your opponents to draw to better hands for free.
  3. By observing your opponents, you can get a lot of valuable information about their play, which can be used against them. By judging loudly your opponents play, you can reveal some knowledge to them as well as discourage them from playing with you and lose potential winnings. Do not criticize your opponents.
  4. Pay attention to stack sizes – usually players with small chip stacks are weak. If you choose tables with such players, you will boost your winnings in the long run. Observe your chip stack. Optimally, you should re-buy each time when your stack gets below the table maximum, which is 100 times the big blind most of the time, to maximize your advantage.
  5. Do not brag, save the knowledge about your skills for yourself. You can only hurt yourself by bragging – either by discouraging weak player from playing with you or by attracting better players to your table. You can unconsciously reveal some information about your play to your opponents by using chat. You will also get distracted. If you can, completely stop chatting while playing poker money games.
  6. Focus on the game, eliminate all the stimuli that may distract you. Switch off TV, radio, instant messenger, do not watch movies and do not check your mail inbox. You will be surprised with the concentration growth and increased winnings in the result. Do not play drunk, tired or stressed as it degrades your thinking process. You will not be able to make quick and optimal decisions, which can lead to big losses you will regret afterwards. If you still need badly to play, try practice mode or freerolls.
  7. Luck influences winnings only in the short run. In the long ru,n it is completely eliminated and the skill is everything that matters. Do not rely on luck and do not be too greedy. We play to take chips from other players. However, excessive greed may cause you to stop making optimal decisions. When you see that you have little chance to win, fold. Continuing with weak hands up to late betting rounds will ruin your bankroll.
  8. Do not bluff too often – especially at lower stakes or against weak players, bluffs are called too often to be profitable. In such situations, reduce bluffing to the minimum and bet your strong hands hard at the same time. Haste is a bad advisor in poker. Keeping patience will let you clearly assess situations, make informed decisions and increases your chances to win.
  9. Be a gentleman. Remember that many weak players play for entertainment. If you insult them or swear loudly, you can spoil their fun and you risk that they will leave the table sooner. Make your decisions quickly and efficiently. Nobody likes to wait long for his turn to act.
  10. Select the right tables especially look for the tables with weak players. Your advantage will turn into bigger winnings. Wait for your turn – do not reveal information about your hand and planned move until it is your turn to act. Other players can use it to your disadvantage.