Top Poker Tips and Strategy Advice for Beginners

It is easy to become impatient before the flop in Texas Hold ‘em and other poker games. You might be tempted to play multiple hands at this stage, but if you do, your chips could dwindle before you realise.

Taking an aggressive but disciplined approach can be a strong preflop poker strategy. Only play hands that are worth playing instead of throwing opportunities away with weak hands.

Picking strong starting cards is a big part of a solid poker strategy. Certain hole cards, such as two aces or kings, will make for a high starting hand. You can raise them in an early position, and you will be one of the first to act.

Advanced poker players think about ranges instead of focusing purely on hands. In poker, range refers to the different hands that a player might hold at a specific stage in a hand.

Beginners may believe that an opponent cannot hold a certain hand, and that can cause them to make a bad play. But seasoned players know that an opponent can reveal a whole range of hands, and they try to find the strongest hand to play based on that possibility.

In poker, a player who calls the big blind before the flop is limping. That is best avoided as the first player who enters a pot, and raising is generally considered the better option insead. That is because raising offers a chance to scoop the pot preflop, unlike limping.

However, if another player has already limped, over-limping may help you if you have a hand that is worth playing but not good enough to raise.

Poker is a game of chance, but there is an element of mathematics at its core. Probability, for example, is a key part of playing poker. If you can consider the odds carefully and calculate them accurately, you can make informed decisions at the poker table.

Learning the maths behind the scenes can help you make stronger judgments about player hands and your own actions.

Bluffing is one of the most well-known elements of playing poker, and it can help you win if you do it right. Learning how to bluff and convince your opponents you hold a different hand than you do can help you prompt other players to take action.

Following on from our previous tip, you need to choose the right times to bluff. Doing it too often, and unconvincingly, could lead you to make bad decisions. To make it easier and more effective, allow the cards to determine whether you bluff or not. 

That means bluffing when you have cards that could enhance the best hand later on, as you will still be in a decent spot if your bluff is called.

As a beginner, experimenting with different styles can help you find the best approach for you and understand who you are at the poker table. 

Different styles include: playing tight (cautious and risk-averse); aggressive (betting often and opening pots, putting pressure on opponents; and passive (calling more frequently than betting).  Playing flexibly can help you apply the right style to changing situations.

One of the most important poker tips for growing into a strong player is remaining consistent when you discover a winning strategy. That can be difficult if you get bored of playing in a certain way over and over — you may be tempted to mix things up to entertain yourself.

But that may lead to unnecessary mistakes and losses. If you find a strategy that works for you, stick with it.

Your position at a poker table can have a big impact on your game. If you are in an early position and act first, you could encounter a raise or a re-raise. But in a late position, you may know more about your opponents’ choices and their hands.

Try playing in different positions around a poker table to get a feel for the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Knowing when to fold your aces is important for playing poker well. If you have an overpair (a pair of hole cards greater than any of the community cards), it is often the best move to fold them. You may want to hold onto them, but you have to know when to fold an overpair to avoid losing.

Betting your good hands to boost the pot and take care of your equity is often the right move in poker. 

However, it may be best to check with good hands if you believe there is a chance of being outdrawn or a lack of scare cards on the board to stop you receiving a payout on subsequent streets.

If you believe you cannot beat an opponent with your current hand, always be willing to fold. That can be difficult when you want to win and hate the idea of giving up your chance to claim the pot. But folding may be the best choice in some situations, such as when your preflop hand becomes weak following the flop.

Modern poker players often believe that it is best to defend your blinds at all times. That means calling a raise from the small or big blind before the flop. 

When you are in either blind position, you need to add money to the pot. In that case, it is best to play as well as you can and get your share back. In the big blind position, you are the last player to take action, and if you are observant, you can get an insight into your opponents ahead of the flop.

Take care when choosing stakes. Good bankroll management is just as important when playing poker as it is in all other forms of gambling. Make sure you set realistic limits and stay consistent. Losses will be significantly worse if you exceed your betting limit and wager more than you can afford.

Once you get a feel for bluffing and understand its potential advantages, you may be tempted to do it all the time. But bluffing too often could turn out badly.

Bluffing is not always necessary to win. Focus on building the best hand you can and observing your opponents instead of trying to bluff them into folding at every opportunity.

If players check, it could indicate that they are holding a fairly poor hand and may fold when they face several bets. If your opponent appears to be weak, such as checking on the flop as well as the turn, that could be the right time to deploy some aggressive bluffs.

The aim of poker should always be to have fun, whether you are playing online, with friends, or at a land-based casino with strangers. But poker can be intense at times, especially when players become fixated on winning. Not everyone can be Stephen Chidweck, the highest-earning poker player in the UK (as of May 2022). So, it is best to play when you are feeling good about the game and looking to unwind. 

If you do not feel happy before you join a game, and you feel frustrated or angry instead, it is probably for the best to sit this one out. You may not make the smartest decisions if you are in the wrong frame of mind, so by opting out you could save yourself money.

To boost your chances of winning, you should only play poker with people you feel confident you can beat. Your ego may try to push you into taking on more experienced players, but that means you are less likely to win. Try to join games where one or more players is limping frequently, or re-raises are common.