Some New Rules

People often ask me if I can give them one tip or rule to make their game a little better. I generally shy away from this type of question because it’s hard to give enough information in the small package they are looking for. There’s a reason why so many poker questions are answered with “It depends,” and why you could ask ten different people how they would play the same hand and get ten different answers that all seem correct. This is a game of complex thoughts and ideas where you have to weigh quite a bit of information before making your final decision on how to proceed. Sure, there are situations where it’s clear what to do. If you have the nuts on the river and you have been checked to, last to act, you should bet. But, if it’s no-limit, how much and will this person be more likely to call if you bet small denomination chips or large denomination chips and then what should I do, stare at him? The felt? The river card? Etcetera, etcetera. etcetera. So, you can see my apprehension when someone asks me this question. The following are some simple answers that should apply to almost everyone and if they listen to this simple advice (whichever one of these I feel like using at the time they’ve asked me) their game will almost certainly improve.

Play fewer hands, but play them more aggressively.

The problem that most new players (and some old ones) tend to have is that they play too many hands and they are significantly too passive. It’s a natural reaction to a game that can get pretty boring at times. The lure of the opportunity to make a big hand, like a flush with suited cards, and the memory of that guy who won that pot with this hand that time make it attractive to play a majority of the hands they are dealt. However, even the loosest of successful players in no-limit play fewer than 30 percent of their hands and they play them very aggressively. The simple adjustment of playing fewer hands more aggressively is the first step that all very good players take on their road to winning.

Cold call less does not equal three bet more.

This may not be the best way to state this to a beginner, but I like the way it sounds. This is mainly an extension of the previous rule. What I mean is that people who cold call too many hands may think that the best solution to stop cold calling so many hands is to three-bet more (especially in limit hold‘em). The adage “three-bet or fold” suggests two fixes for your cold calling woes. I’m guilty of this sometimes. I think to myself “I like this hand and want to play it though it’s probably a bit borderline in this situation, I’ll make it right by three-betting.” This logic is not sound and if you can’t find a better reason for three-betting with a hand than “I wanna play it,” then perhaps you should just fold.

Bet the river more, especially for value.

This is most definitely true in limit hold‘em, but also in no-limit. In limit hold’em, the best players are the ones who understand that thin value on the river is where you make quite a bit of your money. If you put together the first two steps and this one, you’ll quite quickly become one of the better players in your limit hold‘em game. Betting the river more often does one main thing for us that makes the game easier and more profitable while simultaneously making you more difficult to play with. It widens our range. When your range is wider at any point in the hand, it makes it more difficult to play against you. Now, I’m not condoning betting with your entire range on the river now, but if you take the hands you would normally bet on the river now and add a few more bluffs and few more value bets on the edges, you’ll soon see that your winrate is going up.

Have fun whether you are winning or losing.

All of us are guilty of getting frustrated at this silly game we have chosen to play as a hobby or a profession. It’s just how things go. Beats happen, mistakes happen. It’s OK to get a little frustrated and take a walk for a minute or two. However, when you find yourself constantly in a bad mood while playing or getting mad at the other players or dealers, perhaps it’s time for you to take a longer break from the game. You can’t make very good decisions if you’re upset or frustrated, so staying around can’t be worth more than leaving. Remember, no matter where you are at in your poker journey, this started out for each and every one of us as a diversion and, as such, should remain fun and enjoyable for you and those around you.

So, there it is. These are the few things that I may tell people when they ask me for a single tip on how to improve their poker game. Play fewer hands more aggressively; cold call less does not necessarily equal three-bet more; bet the river more, and have fun. Following these rules will make you a better player in no time. ♠

Gavin Griffin was the first poker player to capture a World Series of Poker, European Poker Tour and World Poker Tour title and has amassed nearly $5 million in lifetime tournament winnings. Griffin is sponsored by HeroPoker.com. You can follow him on Twitter @NHGG