Shave Time Off the Poker Learning Curve

Shave Time Off the Poker Learning Curve

There’s an old saying about how long it takes to master a sport or activity. The number being thrown about is roughly 2,000 training hours. Now Texas Holdem is no different, you have to put in the time, study the effort and do the practices. The problem with Texas Holdem is the time it takes to accomplish a learning curve.

In this article I’ll tell you how to shorten that curve by 10x, and reveal the secrets on a few key Holdem strategies.

First, you need to start somewhere and get a clear understanding of the game. You’re going to need a hand ranking chart to tell you exactly which hands are the best. I recommend starting with the strongest hands, Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks and Tens. These are the cards that have the highest probability of winning the game.

It’s got to be organized, though. Starting with the weakest cards you can’t follow the order of the cards. You have to remember that if you are involved in a game, you are betting with your cards. Cards don’t talk! So whoever you are, you should know the rank of your cards before you make any wagers.

After you understand hand ranking, the next thing to learn is pot odds. Pot odds are the likelihood of getting the card you need to have a winning hand. This is an absolute necessity to learn because the cards dealt on the table affect your odds. Make sure you know how many cards will help you and how many will not help you.

The third key to shortening your time to learn is starting at the bottom rung of the ladder. You need to start with the lowest rung possible, the free cards. As you gain more experience, you’ll learn that micro-limit games are the place to start.

You really need to get a good handle on which cards you are looking for. You can’t afford to wait for the ace or the king. Sure, they are both very strong cards, but if you haven’t played them, you don’t know what to do with them.

If you are playing at a cash table, make sure to act before your opponent. Don’t wait for them to decide, but don’t do it too late. The most successful plays in bola88 are made when you are in late position. You are looking for cards that can possibly turn the hand in your favor. If you know you have a good hand, but it is beaten by a better hand, don’t hesitate to push all in. The momentum you have built with your hand plus the momentum you have built with your betting, will make your opponent give into you.

For newcomers it’s usually not a good idea to push unless you have the nuts. If you think you have a better hand than your opponent, consider folding. The odds are high that your opponent will have a better hand. But if you’re in the situation where you could possibly draw out on two cards to make a hand, it could be worth the risk.

Understand the cards well, understand the odds, and don’t be afraid to call the big all in if the time is right. But don’t go over the top with 7-8 suited. If you’ve got it, its better to end it right there than to draw out for it.