Profile of some of the best poker strategies
Poker is a popular card game played by over 100 million people around the world, and here are a few reasons why:
- There are no entry requirements
- The rules of poker are easy to understand.
- Some online platforms offer players the option to call with a no deposit poker bonus, which means they can get a feel for the game and potentially win some money without spending their own.
- This popular card game gives people the opportunity to develop new skills.
- Poker is exciting to play, especially when there is a chance of winning money or a title.
- There is an element of luck but also skill and strategy needed to play poker, which we will explore in this article.
There are many strategies players can use to improve their game and increase their chances of winning. To learn more, read three strategies you can use below.
1 – Learn the ranking of poker hands
It sounds obvious, but learning how to play poker properly is the first step. Part of it is learning all the poker hand rankings.
So if you’re not sure what it is, now is the time to learn.
Below you will find the ranking of each hand starting with the highest hand and working down to the lowest hand. To find out which sets of paired cards from the deck are strong contenders in a game of poker, read and memorize the following.
- Royal Flush – 10, J, Q, K, A in the same suit
- Straight Flush – Five cards in a sequence and the same suit
- Four of a kind – Four cards of the same value in each suit
- Full house – Three cards with the same denomination and two cards with different values
- Flush – Five cards in the same suit
- Suite – Sequence of five cards in any suit
- Brelan – Three cards of the same value in different suits and two unmatched cards
- Two Pair – Two sets of two cards of the same value and a fifth card of any denomination
- A pair – A pair with the same denomination plus three unmatched cards
- No pair – Each card has a different rank and suit
Remembering the above will allow players to identify a good hand when they have one.
2 – Choose your position wisely
A player’s place at the poker table is important because it affects the hands he and his opponents can play.
Here’s an overview of a 6-max poker table plan and recommended playing methods for each position.
1st position, First position, EP
In this siege, it is essential to only play with a high-ranking hand but to play with caution.
2nd position, intermediate position, deputy
This position is better than EP with the ability to play more hands, but players should still play tight and tight in the opening range.
3rd position, Cut, CO
An advantageous position for players, with opportunities to steal blinds with marginal stakes.
4th position, Button, BTN
This is the best place to sit. The button will always have the upper hand because it will be able to see what other players are doing after the flop. Also, there are only two opponents behind the buttons pre-flop. So the button can play aggressively and open with most of their hands.
5th position, Small Blind, SB
If everyone folds before reaching the SB, that player can play with more than half their hands.
6th position, Big Blind, BB
The big blind is in last position. The BB is at a disadvantage because he must post before seeing his hand.
On the plus side, if all players fold, the BB wins. But, if there is a raise, a strategy is needed to assess the position of the raiser and his potential hand.
In summary, early positions should play tight, and most middle to late positions can afford to play aggressive and loose.
This part of the game takes some getting used to, but should always be considered when deciding where to sit at the poker table and what hands to play with.
3 – Play low stakes poker games
To understand the ins and outs of poker, it is crucial to start playing low stakes games. This saves players from spending and losing a lot of money upfront.
It also gives them the ability to deal with different approaches to poker and worry less about the amount of money they have bet on the game.
Additionally, low stakes games are more likely to have competitors with a similar understanding of poker, which means the player has a higher chance of winning.
On the other hand, high stakes games tend to have a lot of experienced players. So any newcomer caught in a high stakes game is more likely to lose and miss a chance to develop their poker knowledge.
The three poker strategies will allow players to grasp the crucial parts of the game that could affect their chances of winning or losing.
To deepen your knowledge and understanding of the game, check out this article on the 5 Best Poker Podcasts.