Poker Strategy Tips and Tricks

Introduction

You are in the right place if you want easy-to-use poker strategy tips and tricks to improve your No Limit Hold’em poker game!

These 10 strategies will boost your confidence as a poker player and help you win more often in an online poker game.

Remember that this list doesn’t guarantee you will win every hand because even the best players don’t achieve that. However, these tips can help you improve your game every day, whether playing in cash games, tournaments, live venues, or online.

Top 10 Poker Strategy Tips

Here are the best 10 online poker strategies & tips to improve your game:

1. Play fewer hands and play them aggressively.
2. Don't be the first player to limp.
3. "Semi-Bluff" aggressively with your draws.
4. Fast-play your strong hands to build the pot and make more money.
5. Defend your big blind (with the right hands).
6. Fold when you're unsure.
7. Attack when your opponent shows weakness.
8. Play solid poker early in tournaments.
9. Only play if you feel like It.
10. Only play in good games.

Tip #1: Play fewer hands and play them aggressively

In No Limit Texas Hold'em, even the best players must be careful about how many starting hands they choose to play preflop. Playing with fewer hands minimises the risk of losing the chip stack.

Creating a strong poker strategy for the hands you play preflop is one of the best ways to increase your winnings. Deciding on a range of strong starting hands is not complicated, but sticking to that plan can be challenging. It is important to stay composed and patient and focus on playing with strong hands.

The wisest way is to play tight, aggressively choosing strong or playable hands. It means you should be betting and raising often, even with hands that are a little riskier, such as 7♦ 7♥ or 8♣ 9♣. When you raise, your opponents might be unsure if you hold a strong hand like A-A, K-K, A-K or a medium-range hand like 8♣ 9♣ or 7♦ 7♥. This uncertainty makes it difficult for your opponents to play against you, and you tend to have an edge over them. Playing tight (fewer hands) but aggressive (betting strong) is the key to winning.

Tip #2: Don't be the first player to limp

Limping (calling the big blind) preflop might signal weakness to your opponents and must not be done as the first player who enters the pot. Here are the reasons why you must not consider limping preflop:

• You can not obtain the pot before the flop but could have if you decided to raise the bet.
• Avoid limping, as it gives up control of the pot to your fellow players. Limping makes it tempting for them to join the pot and allows them to dictate the action, reducing your chances of winning. Instead, consider raising or folding, which puts pressure on them.

Tip #3: "Semi-Bluff" aggressively with your draws

Learning to bluff efficiently is crucial to becoming a successful poker player, as bluffing badly can quickly exhaust your bankroll.

The best bluffing strategy is to let your hands guide your decision. You must consider bluffing with hands that have the probability to turn into a strong hand on later streets, like a flush or a straight. You might win right away if others fold.

Planning your bluff around these potential hand draws can save you in case your opponent calls your bluff. These hands are known as semi-bluffs as they have the probability of improving on later streets even if the bluff doesn't work. When you semi-bluff, you bet or raise with a hand that could get better but isn't strong enough to win yet. All beginners must avoid bluffing with worthless hands before the river round.

Tip #4: Fast-play your strong hands to build the pot and make more money

When you have a strong hand, such as a top pair or better, don't slow-play it by checking or calling.

Usually, you should bet and raise your strong hands to increase the pot size and extract the maximum equity out of those hands. It increases the likelihood of winning a larger pot when you hold a nut. You don’t always have to bet or raise when you have strong hands after the flop. You might want just to check if:

• It’s unlikely your opponent will hold a better hand.
• There aren't many cards that could scare you in the future rounds like turn or river.
• Your opponent probably has a weaker hand range that won’t win at the showdown.

Tip #5: Defend your big blind (with the right hands)

The big blind is a very strong position to be in the pre-flop round. The player sitting here has already made a forced bet of 1 BB. Hence, once the next move falls on them, they will be in a better position regarding pot odds to handle even a raise thrown upon them.

Therefore, since you are sitting in the position which is the last one to act during pre-flop, you can quickly increase your hand range, i.e., you have better chances of winning with a relatively broader set of hand ranges. Here, it is not implied that weak offsuit hands like 9-6o or 9-5o can be called raised for. However, moderately stronger hands like K-10o or Q-7s become relatively playable.

How much you should defend your big blind depends on several important factors. Here are the four main ones:

• Position of the Raiser: Be careful with an early position raiser. You can be a bit looser with your hands or play with a wider hand range with late position raisers.
• Number of Players in the Hand: If one or more players have already called the raise, you should get alert and play tight. One must only call with hands that can do well when multiple players are in the pot.
• Size of the Raise: If the raise is big, you must play more cautiously and only with strong hands. If the raise is smaller, consider playing a wider range of hands.
• Stack Sizes: If you have a small stack of chips, focus on playing stronger hands instead of risky ones. Aim for hands with high card values.

While there are other factors to consider, like how often your opponent bets after the flop, these three are the most important to keep in mind.

Tip #6: Fold when you are unsure

Letting go of a strong hand, like a top pair, when you believe you are likely to lose is a difficult practice to follow, but those who master it become successful in poker.

If you are unsure about the strength of your hand or the likelihood of winning the pot, it is better to fold and preserve your chips for better opportunities.

Folding allows you to avoid costly mistakes and maintains your stack for future hands.

Players sometimes often call even when the table dynamics are not in their favour, which results in losing their bankroll. This is the second mistake that can exhaust your bankroll quickly after ineffective bluffing. 

You should practice writing down the hand details that led you to fold in those tricky situations to evaluate later whether you made the right move.

Tip #7: Attack when your opponent shows weakness

Players often do not prefer to check with strong hands, which can easily call multiple bets; instead, they prefer to raise. They check only with weaker hands and fold if a player makes a huge bet. This situation is known as “bluffing with nothing.”

When you observe your opponent showing signs of weakness, it is the right moment to attack them by playing aggressively and pressuring them to fold their hand. Suppose your opponent tends to show weakness in a heads-up pot (check on the flop or turn); you can exploit them by bluffing aggressively.

Pay attention to your opponent's actions and look for signs of weakness, such as checking, hesitating, or taking too long to act. Seize the opportunity to bluff or bet aggressively to capitalise on their vulnerability and potentially win the pot.

Tip #8: Play solid poker early in tournaments (Don't worry about survival)

It is crucial to focus on building your chip stack at the beginning of poker tournaments instead of playing too cautiously. Many players tend to begin preserving their stacks and engage in defensive play, which is not the right step to take early on in tournaments.

Your starting stack must generally be double or triple to make money in the tournaments. So, you should play aggressively in the early stages to grow a strong chip stack. Don't play passively or worry too much about survival; aim to gain an early advantage over your opponents.

You should choose a more careful playing approach when you are short-stacked or getting a higher payout.

Tip #9: Only play if you feel like It

Playing poker requires mental focus and concentration. It should be enjoyable, whether you are playing casually just for entertainment or professionally.

You will give your best when in a good mood, so playing when you feel happy and focused is wise. You should quit the game immediately if you are not in the right mindset to make sound decisions, like feeling frustrated, tired, or angry while playing. Quitting early can save you a lot of money, as you will get another chance to play.

Tip #10: Only play in good games

Choose games where you have an edge, whether it's due to weaker opponents, favourable table conditions, or higher potential profits.

Avoid playing in games where you're at a disadvantage or the conditions are unfavourable. The checklist which players should check before continuing to play at a table is as follows:

• At least one player on the table should be constantly limping
• There are lots of multi-pots forming in the game
• 3-bet/re-raises are either very common or rare on that table

You will likely make good money from that table if any of the above two requirements are met. You must leave the table immediately if none of the above criteria are met.

Advanced Poker Strategies

Tip #1: Don’t bloat the pot with medium-strength hands

Playing your medium-strength poker hands without aggression is preferable, as these hands often don’t win big pots in the long run. On the contrary, one can play aggressively if they want to deny their opponent the equity value their opponent holds.

These hands are pretty handy in catching bluffs, as betting against players who know they are bluffing can be a powerful strategy. This is because these hands prove strong against most hands used to bluff by the players.

Another smart way to play with mediocre hands is to play passively by checking most of the time. Playing these hands carefully is also important for being a professional player. It helps you feel more confident with your better hands, so you won’t feel pressured to make unnecessary calls when you hold weak hands. This also positions you to take advantage of better situations later in the game rather than chasing marginal opportunities that may not be worth the risk. Overall, a passive strategy with strong hands allows for a more strategic and calculated approach, leading to long-term success in the game.

Tip #2: Play poker about twice as often as you study poker, but make sure to study

To become a good poker player, you must learn and study poker by reading poker articles, using poker tools, and discussing various poker hands and strategies with your friends and fellow players. But the most important thing is to practise and implement what you learn. Playing consistently and following the new strategy you learned helps you improve your game.

You make many impromptu decisions while playing, but those decisions only improve with consistent practice. To enhance your skills and strategies, you must play consistently.

On top of that, it's essential to make time for studying. You can improve your game by reading poker articles, using poker tools, or discussing hands with friends.

Tip #3: 3-bet more often

Many players don't engage in aggressive play before the flop. You can re-raise (3-bet) to build a huge pot and exploit your fellow players if you have strong hands like AA, KK, QQ or AK.

However, 3-betting with strong hands will work initially but is not enough. If you continue to follow the same strategy, your opponents will eventually understand, and they will begin to fold. You can use preflop bluffing to keep the game engaging and create a more balanced approach.

Many poker players playing at lower stakes are not used to facing 3-bets, which can lead to mistakes, and you can take advantage of them to create an edge in the game.

Tip #4: Avoid bluffing on the river with Ace-high when it checks down

Players tend to bluff with Ace-high hands once they are faced with checks in the river stage. Indeed, it is a good opportunity to bet, as many players might have given up saving their hands at this stage.

But, a critical piece of advice at this stage of the game is that it is always better to continue checking with the Ace-high card in the river stage. If a player opens up betting with an Ace-high card, this can lead to becoming a victim of loose calls, which can sometimes reduce their chances of winning because you might be putting more chips at risk with not-so-strong hands.

Due to betting, the player might not be able to see their opponents’ hands during the showdown. Hence, it is advised to just check with Ace-high cards during the river stage.

Tip #5: Check more when out of position

Being out of position is one of the most unfavourable spots on the poker table when playing with a high SPR (Stack-to-Pot ratio). The strategies that must be implemented from these positions are complex for players, and even poker solvers use a mixed set of strategies while playing out of position.

The best advice on playing successfully from these positions is to play defensively and mainly check your mediocre hands. This will make other players rethink their strategy. This frequent checking prevents the opponents from stealing pots from you easily, which can lead to better long-term outcomes in your game.

Using this defensive play keeps your opponents in check while allowing you to remain in the game longer with hands that might not seem strong initially but could potentially improve or lead to a favourable showdown.

Frequently Asked Question

How important is a position in poker?

Position in poker is crucial as it determines the betting order and the information available. Players in later positions have the advantage of gauging opponents' actions, allowing for more strategic decisions and ultimately leading to better outcomes in hands.

How do I choose my starting hands?

You should play tight with strong starting hands and play them aggressively. Play fewer hands, but always choose strong or playable hands to avoid losing your stacks.

What is the best poker strategy?

The best poker strategy involves playing tight and focusing on starting hands with strong value, such as pocket pairs, big face cards, and suited aces.

Additionally, playing only the strongest hands helps maintain a lower VPIP (Voluntarily Put Money in Pot) poker statistic and avoid unnecessary risks.

Is poker a game of luck or skill?

Poker is primarily a game of skill, where expertise and strategy significantly determine outcomes. Luck does influence individual hands, but overall, skill dominates the game.

What is the most profitable poker strategy?

The most profitable poker strategy is a tight-aggressive (TAG) approach. This involves playing fewer hands but playing them aggressively when you do enter a pot.

By being selective with starting hands and making strong bets and raises, players can maximise their profits over the long term.

Conclusion

Mastering poker strategy requires a combination of practice, study, and patience. Dedicate time to playing poker regularly to improve your skills. Invest time in learning poker theory and strategies to understand the game better. Pay attention to your opponents' behaviours and adapt your strategy accordingly. Be mindful of your bankroll and avoid spending money you can't afford to lose. Practise patience and discipline, especially during losing streaks, to avoid making emotional decisions. And remember, consistency and dedication are key to mastering any craft, including poker.