There are multiple ways to learn how to improve your poker game, such as watching televised programs, watching players in a live or online game, reading a poker guide and experience from playing poker tournaments. This article will focus on the best method to improve your poker game through the use of a poker guide and experience.
A Good Poker Guide
Although there are literally hundreds of poker guides that promise to teach you methods on how better to play and win, the best method is one that is tuned to your skill level. If you are just beginning to play, you want to focus on learning and understanding the how, when and why of each type of poker strategy.
In other words if you learn how to trap, yet do not understand the best scenario of when to trap, you may find your strategy is ineffective. Before attempting to utilize any poker strategy, you want to make sure the timing is right to use that particular method.
Look for a poker guide that will teach you more than just the basics of moves and strategies. Find one that will expound more on the right time and the right situation to use those strategies. In addition, make sure that the poker guide will explain in simple terms each strategy. This brings us to the next point of experiencing those moves through action in your own game.
Experience through Action
Once you have studied and understood different poker strategies, you will obviously want to use them in a game. By knowing how, when and why you are using the particular strategy will help you be more successful in accomplishing your goal of winning.
Make it a point to find opportunities to employ your chosen strategy and follow through with determination in executing it. For example, Let us say you are dealt pocket Kings and you have a table which is somewhat aggressive, and you are in late position. A good idea may be to raise just enough to get rid of the suited connectors and ace rag players while keeping in the low pocket pairs or high connectors like KQ or QJ.
Since your intention is to trap an opponent in this scenario, you want to let your opponents play into you on the flop. So if the flop comes Q, 9 4 for example, you can let them bet into you and re-raise about two thirds of the pot. Obviously the only player that will call you would be one holding a Queen. This strategy will help you maximize the pot.
On the other hand, if the flop comes with an ace on board, you can just smooth call a small bet or fold to a larger bet, and abandon your trap, since you have position. This will minimize your losses in the case where an opponent has called you preflop with an ace.
Gaining a clear understanding of how, when and why to use different poker strategies is the key to succeeding in winning at poker. Select a strong poker guide that will give you these advantages to succeed.