Poker Tips

Introduction

For any rookie poker player deciding what play to make pre-flop, especially in a Texas Hold ‘em game, will more than often determine whether or not you get off to a winning start in a poker game, or simply look destined to play the whole hand as a complete flop! Deciding what to do pre-flop isn’t just a question of considering what your hole cards are; instead you need to take into account various factors to do with the other players at the poker table.

Things you are in total control of

The most crucial thing pre-flop is to instinctively know whether or not you should play the hand you’ve been dealt. Remembering to ‘never disgrace an ace‘, you need to do your homework and find out what sort of hands are worth pursuing and which ones you really should fold with. If the percentages are right for the hand to yield a win of some kind – then betting chips on it is the right thing to do.

Whilst with a big stack you can afford to be ambitious with some of the pre-flop hands you play a small stack puts you in an entirely different position. However, don’t automatically fold just because you’ve got a small stack as you might need to speculate in order to get enough chips for the next blind you have to make. Finally, concentrate on the game, even if you do fold pre-flop; you’ll learn from what you see going on and your patience will pay dividends later on.

The other players

Whilst you can’t exactly control the other poker players, you can take them into account when deciding what to do pre-flop. Remember to be at your most cautious when there are a large number of players in the poker game – as there’s more chance of a good hand being dealt and more players simply equal more competition. Their playing style may or may not help you, but as a rookie you might not yet have picked up the skill set to read their poker plays. However, playing against someone who raises pre-flop they could well be sitting on a great hand already.