Poker is one of the most iconic and popular card games in the world. If you’ve seen people playing cards in a movie, chances are it’s probably been poker. From Westerns like 5 Card Stud (1968) to film noir movies such as Dark City (1950) and even romcoms like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), poker is used to tell us something about the characters.
In real life, poker is a game that crosses borders. It isn’t just popular at casinos, like roulette or baccarat are. Instead, poker is also played wherever groups of people gather. It isn’t unusual for a family or friend group to have at least one member with a table and a set of chips that’s always ready for a few hands.
Even though it’s competitive, poker is a social game.
Being good at playing poker online has always been seen as one of the coolest traits a person can have. Not only is poker one of the only casino games that involves an element of skill, but some of the most important poker skills can also be beneficial in your day-to-day life.
In this article, we’ll break down the top pro poker tips for 2024 and explain how each one can improveyour game and why it’s an essential part of the serious poker player’s development.
Master the rules for one type of poker at a time
A major part of the appeal of poker is that there are several different varieties. They all follow roughly the same format but differ in substantial ways. Since the order of play and format are roughly the same for nearly all styles of the game, it can be easy to think they’re all the same game. Sometimes rookie players will assume that just because they’re pretty good at Texas Hold ‘Em, they’ll be just as good at 5 CardStud. This simply isn’t the case.
In reality, there are three different families of poker and each of the popular styles fits within one. It’s similar to how solitaire describes an entire genre of games, not a single card game with one set of rules. The three families of poker are draw (Five Card Draw), stud (Five Card Stud, Seven Card Stud) and community card (Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha Hold ‘Em). There are also some outliers that don’t fit into any group, such as Follow the Queen and Low Chicago.
While the basics are the same for all kinds of poker, it can be very easy for newer players to be confused by changes to the betting rounds, card values and the number of rounds. Mastering the rules and gameplay for one of the most popular styles of poker gives you a strong foundation for when you’re ready to learn other types as well.
Practice, practice, practice
This pro tip applies to nearly everything in life so it’s no surprise that it’s one of the first tips on our list. Practicing is the only way to get better. Playing a few hands will give you more insight into the game than reading a strategy blog or watching the World Series of Poker tournament repeatedly.
You can maximize the value of your practice time by keeping it varied. If you only play online against a computer, you won’t get the feel of playing against real people. If you only play with the same group of friends, you won’t get experience playing against people with varying skill levels. On the other hand, if you only play against random people online, you won’t be able to gauge your improvement as accurately.
If you play in all these different ways, you’ll be able to develop a more complete poker skill set. One of the most important parts of poker strategy is obviously being able to bluff convincingly and being able to read other players. These elements of the game can only be mastered with human opponents, preferably in person.
Learn the lingo
Just like any hobby, poker comes with its own specialized language. Some of the terminology is essential because it relates to the actions happening on the table, such as requesting cards and placing bets. Other terms simply show that you’re in the know and not a total novice.
Learning all the poker slang won’t technically improve your game on its own. What it will do, is make you feel more comfortable at the table. Not feeling like a rookie outsider removes some of the stress and tension. This makes it easier to focus on the game and to keep your emotions — and any potential tells — under control.
Don’t stick with a favourite hand
Having a favourite hand is incredibly common for amateur and beginner poker players. Always trying to play the same hand can force you into a corner and limit your opportunities with each hand. It also makes it harder for you to improve your game because you’re too focused on building a strategy around a single hand.
Favourite hands are also usually tied up in a bit of superstition. Gamblers tend to be fairly superstitious in general and winning with the same hand a few times can make it take on an unrealistic status as a lucky hand. Poker is a game that requires logic and mathematical thinking, being focused on a lucky hand can distract a player from using logic.
Don’t be afraid to fold
Folding is a part of poker, but sometimes new players try to avoid it because it feels too much like giving up. Sometimes, even when you have a decent hand you need to acknowledge that someone else at the table most likely has a better one. In that scenario, the experienced and strategic player knows that it’s time to fold so that they don’t lose more money or drag the hand out for longer than necessary.
This is a hard skill to master because it contradicts our desire to win and our natural curiosity about what hands the other players at the table actually have. You shouldn’t fold too easily, but learning when to fold for your own benefit is very important.
Have a poker persona
This tip isn’t for beginners because it requires you to already have a firm understanding of how to play and how to read other players. Instead of playing poker as yourself, create a character that you can step into when you play.
One thing that stands out when watching events like the World Series of Poker tournaments is that many poker players have an eccentric style, wild accessories and major attitude. Adding dark sunglasses to your look as an amateur is going to annoy your opponents, but little touches like that can help you build a character or poker persona. Maybe your poker persona wears a bunch of rings and plays with them or uses dated slang, maybe they sit out every fourth hand.
Having a poker persona is a way to take a step back from the table emotionally. If you’re “watching” your
poker persona play, you can control your tells more easily because there is a bit of emotional and mental
distance. That same distance lets you observe your fellow players with a cooler, more attentive mind.