Poker is the most well-known and widely played card game around the world. In the last few decades, the game has become a global trend, and millions of people have started to learn how to play it. Presently, this game is played not only for fun but also for a living. But online poker is highly different from the live poker game. So, the strategies you use in live poker may not work in virtual poker. To play poker professionally is a complex game to master, and to outclass your opponents, you must study and employ basic and advanced poker strategy.
Basic and Advanced Poker Strategy
Below we are going to speak about the most effective online poker strategies. Being clear about the basic and advanced poker strategy from the beginning can be advantageous and can improve your poker career. Here are some of them that we believe can be helpful in order to increase your winning chances.
Rules of poker
This is very much obvious, yet many poker players ignore it. Get familiar with the rules first, regardless of what type of poker format or game you prefer to play. Mastering the rules of poker is one of the most crucial basic poker strategies. Understand everything about the hand rankings, position, bet sizes, and other important facets of the game. Sure, you will have to include more complex strategies, but the key difference between winners and losers in virtual poker is the mastery of the game's rules.
Play fewer hands
Many players, especially beginners, prefer to play every single hand they get. This is absolutely not the best idea. Always try to keep the number of hands you play to a minimum. If you can control yourself and fold more hands before the flop will not only help you in keeping your bankroll stable but will also tell you that it is not necessary to play each hand to win pots. Do not play each hand just for the sake of playing or if you are bored. Be patient and good cards will ultimately come.
Play tight but aggressive
Many inexperienced players make the big mistake of opening too many hands and playing too wide, which bleed away their chip stack. When you start playing, the idea is to prefer playing only the tight range of strong hands. This will help you play poker more aggressively and with fewer hands when you choose to play your hand. When playing low stake poker games, many players will play random hands a lot of time. So, by just following one poker trick, i.e. playing tight, will put you ahead of them. Using this method will help you learn poker tactics without losing money and in an effective manner. So, instead of just calling, raise and bet when you play to put the most pressure on your opponents. In the long run, understanding that you benefit from having better hands pre-flop will be enough to beat their range of cards.
Don’t be the first player to limp
If you are the first player to enter the pot, limp (to call the BB preflop) is an absolute NO! This play should be avoided for two main reasons:
1. You wouldn’t be able to win the pot pre-flop if you raised.
2. You provide your opponents with attractive pot odds, increasing your chances of facing multiple opponents and thereby decreasing your winning chances.
Only the situations where limping is acceptable when at least one of your opponents has already limped. This is known as over limping. This may be a profitable online poker strategy as you are getting good big pot odds to enter the action in the hope of hitting something good on the flop.
Use position to your advantage
One of the most ignored aspects of winning a poker session is the position. Many novice players overlook the value of the poker position and are unaware of how to utilize best the players sitting in the worst position. The dealer position is the most favourable one on the table. This is because you always get the opportunity to act last, and you are able to see the actions of your opponents. The second best position on the poker table is to the right of the player, referred to as cut-off and so on, descending anti-clockwise order. When you are in those positions, play more aggressively and with a wider hand range.
Learn the art of semi-bluffing
Bluffing is one of the most crucial forms of poker. Though you can bluff at any point when playing poker, the expert players usually play at the most favourable times - that is, when they believe their opponents would fold the most often. The perfect way to bluff is to let your cards decide whether you should bluff or not, also known as semi-bluffing. Semi-bluffing means that you don’t have a strong hand but has the ability to improve on a subsequent draw, which gives you an ‘out’ if your bluff is called. This is a much chosen basic and advanced poker strategy when you have bad cards, though many professionals are good enough to get away with it.
Observe the move of your opponents
Poker is a game of information. The more information you have on the moves of your opponent, the better your chances of winning. Observe the playing pattern of your opponents and make a mental note that you can use against them in the future. Also, keep an eye on how many chips they have, who bluffs and who doesn’t.
For instance, if one of your opponents often bets ₹100 and suddenly bets ₹300, this could indicate they have a monster hand. In contrast, if a player loses a huge hand and then bets big on the next hand, it may be due to frustration rather than a lucky draw. However, skilled players will try using your assumptions against you. So, observe their moves that can tell whether they are bluffing or not.
Put these strategies and tips into practice today
The online basic and advanced poker strategy mentioned above will not teach you to win the game. Instead, it will help you to improve your strategy. Remember, consistently winning online poker is just about regularly practising the techniques, especially if you are a newbie. If you are trying to learn the game, you can start practicing on the Gamentio platform. Practice the poker game online for free before heading to play for real money.