New Poker Player Tips

If you are new to poker, or even online poker for that matter, there are some things you should know before you jump in to a game of poker. First of all, if you are a complete novice, you should respect your bankroll enough to not get in over your head by buying into high-staked or even mid-staked games until you know what you’re doing. Even if you know how to play poker, there’s a certain process, a formula if you will, to growing as a poker player. The optimal level of your unique play style can only be cultivated by starting from step one and working your way up.

So what is step one? Preparation. Prepare yourself financially and mentally first. Don’t think of your newfound hobby as a profession or a way to earn an income by any means, if you are new to the game. You must practice your game and graduate through a learning stage before you can earn decent profits on your bankroll at a steady pace. If you just enjoy playing poker for the fun of it, then you won’t have a problem grasping the fact that you won’t become rich over night. You must also learn to get “in the zone” of poker, adapting to the specific mental restraints and discipline that a well-versed poker player can invoke. Whether you are looking for some extra money or just enjoy the sport, or both, the following tips will advance your game.

Budget and Bankroll
If you don’t have a lot of money, budget yourself so that your bankroll is 300-500 X the big blind in any cash game you enter.  For example if you want to play .50/$1 games you should have at least a $500 bankroll equivalent to 5 separate buy-ins for the game.  Although this may not be enough over the long run, it will help you to handle the swings of the game and cover any bad sessions that you have at the tables.

Game Stakes
Even if you have $1000 to play with, do yourself a favor and start at the low-limit tables. You’ll get a chance to work your way up slowly. The fact is that if you start too high, you’ll be out-experienced off the bat, and the essential lessons learned as you just start out playing will come at a much lower cost at the low-limit games. If you want to waste your money, go ahead, but it really is important to understand poker from the ground up. In order to do that, you must understand the game at all levels, even at the $0.10/$.020 levels. The game is different at each blind, so you must build on your understanding of each level.

Don’t Get Too Comfortable
You should never assume that you know how to play poker, until of course you’re making a couple hundred grand a year in live tournaments. You will be a much better poker player if you stay grounded and modest about your game. Always look for the lesson in every hand, every betting round, and every opponent. By reading this article right now, you are showing signs of a player with potential to become really good. Poker isn’t all about playing. It’s partly about studying and even contemplating hands long after you leave the game. When asked what how he planned on preparing for the 2009 WSOP Main Event Final Table, Phil Ivey said he was going to watch the hands that were played before he made the final table. This was in part to study his opponents, but also to learn from everyone’s mistakes.

Player Attitude
Don’t be overconfident in your game. Nobody likes a cocky player. They are the most likely to fall under attack by opponents simply because no one else wants them at the table. Furthermore, it’s just good karma to be nice. When you are courteous and respectful of the game and your opponents, the game and your opponents will respect you back. After all, you are all there for the same reason and without each other, there wouldn’t be a game. Take their chips, but be polite about it.

Another part of your poker attitude should be positive thinking. Not only should you show an outward air of sophistication, but you should be mentally channelling positive energy as well. Being negative towards yourself, your opponents, or your game can only hold you back from learning. Think of Lady Luck smiling down on you for good behavior.

Take Risks
While you should learn to play at first by playing tight and observing the operations of the game, don’t get stuck there. Learn to take risks by getting your feet wet a little at a time. Watch your opponents and see what kind of risks they take and what the payoffs on those risks are. While you shouldn’t go all-in every hand, do remember that scared doesn’t make money.

The Bottom Line
While these are just the basics and there is a lot to learn about poker in terms of betting, position, bluffing, pot odds, etc., taking it one step at a time and practicing each new technique compounded on what you’ve already learned will ultimately make you a more comprehensive player. Don’t get too excited too soon. The excitement will come if you can endure your patience and your bankroll long enough to learn how to play poker by the book. Once you have a handle on the technical dos and don’ts of poker, then you can start to experiment with the fancy stuff and find out what works best for you.