Legend has it that it is a “masculine” game, nonetheless it is available to everyone who can master it, and the gender is irrelevant.
You are always dealing with 5 cards. Poker has many variations so before you start playing, you have to know which version the other players are playing.
When betting you have three options. Fold, Check, Raise and if you want to risk all your money you have the option to bet All in.
You have to know when to Fold, when to Check, Raise and most certainly when to bet All in, like you need to know when you should ride or not a bus.
If e.g. you don't have a good hand and an opponent bets all in he could be bluffing. However instead of risking losing it all you can follow the following advice: “Live on, improve yourself, fight another day”, which is interpreted in Poker “Stay in the Game, wait for a better hand, risk later”.
Like the 70’s song “Stay Alive”.
If your opponent shows his cards, though he doesn't have to, and you realize that you lost, while you could have won, or that your opponent was bluffing, don't feel angry or sorry, because if your opponent acts like that he probably wants to drive you mad so that you play irrationally. Don't give him what he wants. If you can't help it stop playing immediately. One way or another don't give him what he wants. If he doesn't show his cards don't even mind what happened. Remember that curiosity killed the cat.
Many players overbid and they pretend that they have a desirable combination while they have nothing. They give the false impression that they have a good hand. You have no idea of the other players' cards. It’s a game of psychology and guessing.
You have to know how to read the players' Poker face. Cowboys of the Old Far West used their Cowboy hats and the Poker cards in order to cover their whole face so that no other player could see, let along read their Poker face. Many professional players wear sunglasses even today and train themselves not to be given away by facial micro expressions. If you don't know your co-players take some time to study them. See their faces and mark any facial micro expression and if you see their cards you will determine what their facial micro expressions signify. Many players use sad facial micro expressions on purpose. Get to know if they are bluffing.
A Chinese general said:
If you know yourself and your opponent don't be afraid of the outcome of every battle, If you know yourself but not the opponent for every battle won you will lose one battle, If you don't know yourself and your opponent you will lose every battle.
If you play poker on line no one can see your “Poker face”, and you can't see and read theirs. However you can still read the speed a player responds and by his betting style. If e.g. a player who usually plays fast seems to think about his next move, this could be a sign of weakness or strengtheners. One delayed move could mean nothing, if however after 10 or 20 times you ascertain that a slight delay signifies that the player doesn't have a good hand you can use this information to play accordingly. You can read their personality by analyzing the way they bet. Until you determine what any micro on line move signifies don't risk too much unless you think you have a strong hand. If you can't understand the psychology of an on line Poker player behind the computer screen then you could have trouble in becoming a good player no matter what Poker variation you prefer.
After the end of each round the cards should be given back to the dealer and start all over, so that a card-counter guy doesn't have an unfair advantage against other players. Do that and insist on that no matter which Poker variation you play.
that you mustn't play Poker and at the same time watch TV, listen to the News, e.t.c. This game needs discipline. Every Poker variation does.
The cards owe you nothing. If you have a strong card and you lose, what you mustn't lose is your temper. If you do lose your temper or if your moral is broken, leave immediately, if you stay you will probably lose more money. Cards are cold, so should you be. If you can't follow this piece of advice forget about playing Poker.
When playing poker you need to be prepared to call when raised. You never know your opponent's cards but a player could always be bluffing. So if e.g. you have a pair you could risk it.
Remember however a basic rule. Empty guns kill. In Poker Strong hands ruin. If you have a gun you know is loaded you will never turn it against a friend and you will never pull the trigger. Some people in the past shot accidentally friends and relatives by pulling the trigger, believing the gun they were holding was empty. In Poker if you don't have a good hand you probably will never risk too much. If you have a strong hand e.g. a Full House then you will risk. However the more you risk the more you are likely to lose.
Still if you have a Full House your chances to win are great. Especially if you manage to give the false impression that you don't have a good hand.
However you have to be prepared to lose and if you do never, ever lose your temper. Strong hands could ruin you. Don't overvalue your hand unless you have Royal Flush.
A player who was victorious against you, a player who forced you to fold while having no good hand, are players doing what they have to do and they did it better than you. That's all. Or players that got lucky. You need to see what they really do better than you. So don't lose your temper. You will never learn new tricks this way
and you will never improve yourself and your strategies. Sometimes losing could lead you in the long run to healthier conclusions than a victory.
Luck is vital for poker, however the more you play the less important it becomes. The real player is the player who handles the worst combinations.
Everyone can risk when having Four Aces (AAAA). The real player is seen when he doesn't have good cards, when he experiences a bad night. A lousy player can be lucky but his luck won't last for ever. Given time the good player will prevail.
If you want to bluff you have to be very cautious. If other players read your Poker face, or your Poker screen then you risk losing too much.
You have to mix your style to make yourself unpredictable. Send confusing messages to your opponents, in order to make it impossible for them to understand your psychological profile. The best you can do is to give the impression that you are bluffing when you really aren't. When you have a strong hand play week at first to make other players believe you are week and bet more money. If you have a week hand play like you have a strong hand.
Don't overdo it though. Then change this tactic again and again, so that the other players will be unable to predict you. Predictability of yourself is not something you should want when playing Poker.
If you realize that an opponent is angry it is possible that he will make mistakes. You have to expect mistakes from an angry opponent and be prepared for it. An angry person loses some of his IQ according to what scientists say, so a person with less IQ is vulnerable.
Like we said the cards owe you nothing. The fact that you won doesn't mean that you will win again, and the fact that you lost doesn't mean that you won't lose again. Don't get overexcited if you win.
If e.g. you play 100 £,$,€ and you want to win 50 £,$,€ and you do, leave immediately, don't try to win more. If you can afford to lose 50 £,$,€ and you do, leave immediately, If you stay and risk to lose more, then do so, but know that you risk losing it all. It's up to you, but we advise against it.
Live your emotions aside when playing poker. They are bad advisers.
So is greed. So is irrationality. It is like alcohol and driving. Never mix them.
Diamonds and Hearts are red, Spades and clubs are black. In order to have a Flush you need 5 hearts, 5 diamonds, 5 spades or 5 clubs. Don't think that you have a Flush because you have 5 red or 5
black cards. Flush is depended on the symbol not its color. Never make mistakes like this. If the other players realize something like that you will be characterized as an incompetent player. Unless you want to give this impression be cautious. If you make this mistake, this means that you are not concentrated. If you are tired or lose your appetite, leave immediately don't fight your own fatigue and the other players simultaneously. An extra opponent is not a desirable opponent. Fatigue will pay you nothing whatever you bet.
When watching a tournament on television you can learn from professionals not by doing exactly what they did, but by understanding why they did what they did, i.e. what they hoped to accomplish. If you can't analyze their real incentives don't imitate what they do. Behind every move lies a valley of knowledge and ideas. Don't see the top of the iceberg. The iceberg is larger and at least 90% of it is hidden under water. By viewing the top of it you see nothing. You will never learn how to drive merely by watching TV, it could be a start, nothing more, nothing less.
You have to consider the aforementioned advices no matter what Poker variation you play. This is paramount. If you become a good player in one variation this doesn't mean that you will be automatically a good player in other Poker variations as well. No matter how good you are, there is always a better opponent.