It’s hard to be a beginner in anything, especially when you see and hear a lot about those who have been doing it for years. It can seem like everyone knows more than you, and that’s always disheartening because you don’t get to see what it was like for them when they were in your position. Everyone has the same learning curve and nobody is confident or competent enough to make waves on day one. It’s important when you are starting out at sinlicencia.org simply looking for a site to play at, to realise that you’re going through what everyone else went through in the beginning. And it will end soon enough.
The worst mistake you can make is to start out in poker expecting to be a winner right away. Remember, there are usually six people around a table, and if you’re playing online for the first time, the chances are at least one of them will be more experienced than you and will likely win more. At the same time, you don’t have to give up hope then and there, because how you perform on your first trip to the poker table will have indications on how you can improve in future. And if you follow the tips below, you’ll get better fast.
Aim to play against bad players
It’s a cruel one, but it’s indispensable. At any poker table, there is usually at least one player who’s getting absolutely rinsed by the other players, and the key is not to be that player. Ideally, you want to be the one doing the rinsing, and it’s easier to do that if you can find games with less skilled poker players. Shop around, play on different sites at different times of day, and if you’re out of your depth, exercise your right to just quit. Humans are creatures of routine, and if bad players are at a certain table on a certain day at a certain time, chance are they – or equally bad players – will be there again if not tomorrow, then the same time next week. Harness that knowledge.
Don’t get hung up on bluffing
Bluffing isn’t just something that happens in offline poker. There are many different ways you can bluff, including betting confidently on bad hands and meekly on good ones. And because it is the one poker tactic that non-poker players know, it’s something that rookies tend to do a lot. Because – hey! – good poker players do it, and win, so it must work. Bluffing in poker is like a good right hook in boxing: it’s definitely good to have it in your armory, but if you use it all the time nobody’s going to walk into your trap. If people aren’t expecting you to bluff, it will have more impact when you do.
Bide your time before stepping up
When there are poker tables around with bad players to exploit, it makes absolutely no sense to try to swim with the big fish too early on. The more you can line your pockets at the lesser tables, the more you learn as you go. During this time, you can also be reading everything you can get your hands on regarding any form of poker you intend to play. By themselves, solid playing skills or good theoretical knowledge can serve you relatively well. You’ll need to have both combined to survive longer at the higher stakes tables, and they are where you want to be. But only once you’re ready.
