Gambling Strategy Guide
Poker Strategy Guide
Poker Strategy Guide
Poker is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. In poker, cards are ranked from high to low starting with the Ace, King, and Queen… down to the 2 being the lowest rank. Cards are also separated into four suits, consisting of clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds. Although all suits are equal in value when playing poker, suits do play an important role in the game.
Each player is dealt five cards and the object of poker is to end up with the highest-valued hand. From best to worst, hands are ranked in the following order:
- Royal Flush: A royal flush is composed of 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace, all of the same suit.
- Straight Flush: A straight flush is comprised of five cards in numerical order, all of the same suit. If there are two straight flushes at the table, then whichever hand's straight flush reaches the highest card value wins.
- Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same number plus another random card. If there are two or more hands that qualify, the hand with the highest-ranking four of a kind wins.
- Full House: A full house essentially means that you have both a pair and three of a kind in your hand. Ties are broken first by the Three of a Kind, then the Pair.
- Flush: A Flush is comprised of five cards of the same suit, regardless of their numbers. In the event of a tie, whoever has the highest-ranking card wins.
- Straight: Five cards in numerical order, regardless of their suits. In a tie, whoever's straight goes to a higher ranking card wins.
- Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same numerical rank.
- Two Pair: Two sets of pairs.
- One Pair: A pair of two of the same numbered cards. If more than one person has a One Pair, then the person with the highest-ranking pair wins.
- High Card: If none of the players have anything of value, the player holding the highest-valued card wins.
The basic rules of poker are simple. First, each player places the ante or "opening bet" into the pot before the cards are dealt. The ante can range from a nickel to thousands of dollars, depending on where you play and your level of expertise. The ante insures that someone will win something.
Once everyone has placed their ante, the dealer deals the cards face down around the table, starting with the player on his left and continuing clockwise. The dealer always deals to himself last. Once everyone has five cards, the remainder of the deck is placed in the middle of the table, and the game officially begins.
Each player looks at his or her cards, and then the first player places a bet. Usually the player to the left of the dealer makes the first bet. Then on the next hand, the person to his left will bet first, and so on around the table. With respect to the first round of betting, there are two options the players may face:
- Open: If no one has bet when your turn comes, you may "open" the pot, meaning you make the first bet.
- Check: You are only allowed to “check” if no one has opened the pot by the time the round comes to you. When a player checks, it means that the player has opted out of opening the bet.
Of course, there is a course of action that must be taken once someone opens the pot and betting begins. Essentially, players have three choices at this point:
- Call: When you “call” or “see,” it means that you match the bet that has opened the pot.
- Raise: When you "raise," you "call" the previous bet, and then increase the bet amount.
- Fold: When someone else opens, you can always "fold" which means you are backing out of the game. This is usually a good idea if you have been dealt a bad hand or are uncomfortable with the current bet amount.
At this point, the players who are still in the game can get rid of the cards they don't want and take new cards. A player is permitted to get rid of up to three unwanted cards and receive replace them with new ones from the deck. The entire process is done face down so no one sees the dealt cards.
Once each player has drawn his/her cards, the betting begins again. You have the option of opening the pot or checking and, like before, once someone opens, you can see, raise, or fold. The game ends when there are no more raises or everybody folds except for the winner.
Now players reveal their hands and the player with the highest-ranking hand wins the pot. The only way to stay in the game is to not fold. If you have a bad hand and want to get out quick, folding is your best option. If you think you have a good hand, then you should stay in the game. Of course, if you have a good hand, you don’t want the other players to know. You want them to bet and increase the pot so that you can win more money. Poker is 20 percent luck and 80 percent skill. The skill, however, does not necessarily come from knowing what is and isn’t a good hand. Instead, it the best skill in poker is being able to lie.
Unlike blackjack, poker does not have a specific set of strategies that make for a sure fire win, in fact, any advice you get in poker is simply a hint on how to be successful in the game. Here are some strategies to help you improve your game:
Playing it straight and simple
As a beginning poker player, you will likely be playing low limit games against people who are also beginners. While it may take practice to beat the veterans who play in high stakes games, it should be pretty easy to beat your peers with this easy to follow tips.
You see the biggest mistake that beginners make is that they pay more attention to their own hands than the players they are facing. This is good news for you, because you can easily play hard and tight. Don’t try any fancy bluffs and bet aggressively when you have a great hand. Just play it straight and avoid any deep psychological strategies and you will be successful at beginner’s poker.
If you are going to play the game, have confidence in yourself and think for yourself. Textbook guidelines can only take you so far, winning poker players will tell you that the trick is in combining general poker knowledge and good judgment skills. However, it is important to keep your ego in check at all times. Poker is tough and it takes skill, patience and lots of practice. It can be a fun game, but you must have the right mindset.
Common poker mistakes
Playing too many hands: The fact is, most of the time you will not have a winning hand. Don’t be afraid to fold. The best poker players know when to, as they say in the song, hold them and know when to fold them.
Playing above your means: Be sure to set your own betting limits and don’t get involved in games and tournaments that are out of your league.
Playing without regard for pot odds: Beginning players do not typically understand pot odds and, far too often, call when they shouldn’t. Brush up on pot odds and adhere to them when playing.
Feeling lucky: While all games involve luck, relying solely on luck is a bad idea and it will result in losses in the end. Just try and play well.
Relying on same suit hands: Having a hand that is heavy with cards of one suit can be a plus, but do not base your game on that fact alone. The first thing to consider about a starting hand are the ranks of your cards and any pairs. These factors are more important in the value of your hand.
