Beginning ... and other info for new players

  • Thread starter Running Nose II
  • Start date
R

Running Nose II

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Total posts
572
Chips
0
You've read a book or two, seen poker on TV, maybe got a training video, You are reasonably happy with your knowledge of the rules, know the ranking of the hands and what the blinds and the button are for.
So where now? My best advice is to play with friends, who will not be too unkind to you, until you get your rough edges smoothed out.
Feel free to play freerolls, but treat them with care.
The next step is to play in the real world with low-limit cash games
 
R

Running Nose II

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Total posts
572
Chips
0
Odds Calculater

Is this a useful too?. In real life you can only see one set of cards, your own, so you cannot run it in the background when playing (which seems to me to be highly dubious anyway, and borders on cheating).
 
R

Running Nose II

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Total posts
572
Chips
0
Starting Hands

While there are 1326 two card combinations in a deck of 52 cards, only about 75 are of use as starting hands (Premium Hands).
Books by David Sklansky and Lou Krieger are worth a read to give you an insight on good starting hsnds.
 
Last edited:
R

Running Nose II

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Total posts
572
Chips
0
Strategy

In the early stages of a tournament it is better to play tight but aggressively.
In the later stages when the other players are starting to tighten as the blinds increase, you can play more loosely, but still aggressively
 
R

Running Nose II

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Total posts
572
Chips
0
Outs

Outs are simply an integral part of figuring your odds.
Put simply outs are the unseen cards that will complete or greatly improve your hand.
As an example. You hold Ace rag of hearts. The flop comes heart, heart and a small club. You can see four of the thirteen hearts, leaving nine unknown outs. Some players will count another three for the Ace, but these extras are your own preference.
 
R

Running Nose II

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Total posts
572
Chips
0
How Much In The Pot?

Knowing how much is in the pot has several benefits.
It will make you appear that you are a seasoned player.
It will speed the game up by you not asking all the time.
You know how much is in the pot and how much you need to bet to get good value to stay in the pot.
Start by practicing online where the amount of each bet is displayed. Try to ignore these amounts and mentally calculate each pot. Practice makes perfect.
 
R

Running Nose II

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Total posts
572
Chips
0
Decisions

We will all make correct and wrong decisions playing poker, it's part of the learning curve.
Your goal is to make correct decisions and to eliminate wrong ones. Strangely enough, you will learn more from your bad decisions than your correct ones, and you will certainly know when you make a bad decision. The player who makes the best decisions will win the most money over time. You can also win money on your opponents bad decisions.
 
R

Running Nose II

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Total posts
572
Chips
0
Suited Hole cards

Beginners sometimes get a little excited when they look at their hole cards and find them suited. They will play any low suited hole cards from any position, thinking only of making a flush. There are 11 cards that will help you, among the 50 remaining, and you must get 3 of them to make your flush. The odds of even flopping 1 of your suit are about 14/1.
If you hold low gapped, suited cards - fold them. Even if you make a pair it will be low and easily beaten.
High suited connectors are a different ball game If you can get into the pot cheaply, do it
 
R

Running Nose II

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Total posts
572
Chips
0
Implied Odds

How well known the concept of implied odds, I do not know. In my opinion it has little value, but as a beginner it is better knowing about it so that you can judge for yourselves.
When it is your turn to bet and you have calculated your odds, you factor in the other player's future bets who you are sure will bet, and recalculate your odds with the additional money in the pot. As you can see, it is not an exact science. If one or two players fold your new calculation is down the pan.
 
Top