If you’re struggling to up the ante in your Poker game and feel like you’ve reached a plateau, you’re not alone. A vast number of Poker players feel the same, and just need a little push to move from average to amazing. These tips will give you the edge and push you a little bit further, ensuring you play better, and potentially win more.
Stop Playing Favourites
Every player has a favourite hand but often, falling into a habit can harm you more than help. If you consistently play the same hand and have a mediocre yet consistent result, it’s time to break out of your comfort zone and try something new. If you want to keep on playing your favourite hand make sure that you don’t give it preferential treatment, and that you fold when you should, rather than hanging in there out of habit.
Consider Ranges Rather than Hands
The easiest way to spot a Poker pro is by the way they think about their opponent’s hands. A new player will only think about an opponent’s specific hand, whereas advanced players consider their opponents range of hands. A range is the spectrum of hands that a player may have in any situation and by considering this, you can have the edge. Technically, in Poker no one has a singular hand, instead they have a range of potential hands. Remember this and you’ll reap the rewards. If you need to practice this technique you can also do so online, as sites like River Belle casino offer free and real money games. Considering range rather than a hand does take practice, and you need to change your perspective on playing.
Stick to Your Strategy
Chopping and changing strategy is never a good idea, and in Poker you need to see your strategy through in order to be successful. Many players make the mistake of starting with one strategy and then switching to another, mid game. This often fails, and leaves players thinking that no strategy will help. Strategy requires players to play the long game, and if you are starting to tilt, take a step back, reassess your game play and stick to your chosen strategy. If it doesn’t work out in the long run, try another option, but don’t switch strategies mid-game.
Know When to Fold Aces
Believe it or not, knowing when to fold an overpair is a crucial part of Poker. Every player can identify with that sinking feeling when an opponent raises all in the turn and you are forced to make a crying call, and your opponent turns over the set, again. This is a feeling no one wants, but it is all too familiar, and if you know when to fold your overpair you can avoid it almost entirely. Good players will be able to let go of 2 Aces easily, whereas those that are average will remain married to their Aces, and end up worse off!
Avoid Tilt Hurting You
At some point or another every Poker player is hurt by tilt, but what many fail to realise is the only person tilt hurts, is the player! Tilt is the dream destroyer, the destroyer of bankrolls and the destroyer of games, but at the end of the day the only person who loses out with tilt is the person experiencing it. If you know how to identify tilt, know that you are the only one who is going to be affected and can recognise the symptoms, you’ll play better, as you’ll know when to fold, when to walk away and when to call it a day.