Sign Up For Card Player's Newsletter And Free Bi-Monthly Online Magazine

Fish To Shark: Poker Perfection

Here's How To Take Your Game To The Next Level

Print-icon
 

Poker is quite unique in that a mixture of both luck and skills are needed to become successful. Some of the world’s best poker players dedicate their lives to learning the “art” of the game and spend hours picking up new strategies. Here we’ll take a look at some tips and that will help you to take your game to the next level.

When starting out, many players will have their eye on the prize and will be keen to play round after round, expecting some luck eventually. It isn’t uncommon for beginners to be out of the game before it even gets to the exciting part. Try folding your hand more, even if you’re keen to join the action, by knowing the difference between a good starting hand and a bad one.

Gambling is all about odds and this is especially true in poker. Chance and probability can be predicted fairly accurately and years of practice will make it easier for you to keep track of which cards are out there already and which hands are possible. By knowing the odds, you can start making decisions on whether it’s possible to win the round with your hand, or if there could be a better hand out there already.

A key part of the game is getting the advantage over your opponents by watching their body language and face when they make decisions or see the next card that is drawn. Everybody knows that the best players have an amazing ability to hide their emotions, but even the most skilled players may have a tell. Even if you aren’t in a round, watch each player closely for tiny signs that could give away if they are bluffing or if they are using a betting pattern. In the same breath, spend some time looking at how you react when you pick up a good hand, maybe even asking another player to give you some feedback on your actions throughout a game.

As with any sport, the best players will seek out advice and become socially active. A great way to learn more about the game is to get talking with other players. You’ll soon find that others are encountering the same issues you are facing and may already have found a solution. Naturally, experienced players are a great starting point and the poker scene is really friendly, when a game isn’t underway of course, so some will be happy to pass on their knowledge and advice.

If you’re struggling to get to tournaments or are lacking other players nearby, get some practice in online. Live games are a great way to play hand after hand and make some money. With a live host, you can look for tells and ask questions throughout. In live three card poker, you play against the house, so will only have one opponent to watch, the dealer. This makes it a bit easier to keep track of their movements and you can pick up and play at any time, day or night.

Although it may be tough at times, defeats will become less regular as you play more and learn about the game. Nobody is born an expert poker player and with time, effort, techniques and most importantly experience, you’ll soon be winning more games than you lose.