Tips for advanced poker players

Does the poker game still have many secrets for you and do you want to improve your poker skills? Looking for poker tips? You need to realize that if you want to be a winning poker player you should study the game, athletes often have worked hard for years to come at the top, you’ll also need to invest to become a successful poker player. How can you improve your skills? Read the following tips for advanced poker players, perhaps it will give you some new insights, or just make you play a bit more aggressive, so you suddenly can win the game. Or look at our Texas Hold’em poker strategy pages.

Do not bluff against bad players

Do not try to bluff against fishes/weak players. Some bad players will call your raise with bad cards in the hope that they get a good card and make a strong hand. Weak/new players simply do not know when they have lost, and they will keep playing with their weak hand.

Bluff if post-flop gives flush cards

When on the flop there are three cards of the same species and all players have called, they probably do not have a flush. Now you can pretend you made the flush and can make a bluff-raise. There is a good chance that you do pick up the pot right there. However, if you will be called or re-raised it is time to give up the hand because your opponent probably has a strong card. Ok, maybe they understood that you are bluffing and are playing back at you but that is part of the poker game.

Winning at a loose table

On a table where there is a lot of action (loose) the best thing that you can do is to play tighter when you want to prevent you quickly lose your chips. If you are aggressive in the game, you can surely lose big pots and you may soon lose your chip stack. Do not try to bluff to pick up pots because it is often against looser players. Min-raising is usually a bad idea.

If your opponent can call a min raise, he probably can call a normal raise as well. And if you’re bluffing, and you want to force your opponent to give up the hand, min-raising is a very bad idea. Wait for a good hand or a good flop and then play it hard. Be patient and you can make a nice profit on a loose table. Play also on other poker rooms When your game is not going the way you like, try another poker room. Often switching to another poker room or to another type of game will make you sharper and better and you will be able to improve.

Make notes of the “tells” of your opponent

The best poker players in the world have a database, a notebook, computer or another way to archive the “tells” of their opponents. Most poker rooms offer this functionality on the web today! Fixed patterns in someone’s game can be quickly recalled. Your own notes could look like: “has a monster’s calling after a long pause” or “folds to check-raise”. With these notes you have an overview of how a player plays by one single click. Any tournament or sit-and-go game makes you build a nice database, and it also forces you to see how your opponent’s play.

The long wait in a tournament … Know that the poker tournaments that are broadcast on television are very short.

Differently to the previous tables, they often leave only the final table to see the variety styles of play. An experienced player will simply discard the most hands and play selectively. The selectively pick which battles you make is the difference between winning players and the amateur. Until the final table plays usually with 8 to 10 players at the table you will play tight to survive, or from position.

Stack sizes of chips on the final table

When you finally reach the final table you will see that the stack size will vary. It is important to have an overview how every player is situated: • Large stack players can play in a very loose way on the table to put pressure (bully the table) • Small stack opponents urgently needs chips and therefore will go in much faster with every reasonable hand. • A player who’s calling a small stack player would normally have a good hand because the other players fold. Ask yourself if you also have good cards. See how many blinds you have and how long you can still play before you are finished.

Sometimes play your hand slow

A good variation is the slow play of a super strong hand to try to mislead and to win a bigger pot. Suppose you have JJ in your hand and the flop comes J88, you have a full house, the best hand possible. Now you can choose to raise, but you can also check the bets of others calling the turn or river, where you, with or without a so-called check-raise (first check if your opponent bet then make the re-raise), can build a big pot. The main reason is that many times your opponent’s probably did not hit anything – it is not likely that they have an 8.  You better give them a free hand, so they can improve, making them perhaps playing/bluffing the pot.

Don’t play your AK always aggressive

The problem of an ace king is that you often only win if you make a pair or better. When you have multiple players in a pot it is not recommended to put to many chips in the pot, but you better wait if your hand improves. Even when somebody raises it may be better to just call instead of making a re-raise. If you have a pair it is obviously time to be aggressive and play the hand strong to get rid of some players. Perhaps your fellow players will underestimate your hand because of your non-aggressive pre-flop play. More about playing Big Slick on our strategy page…

Learn how to calculate your pot odds

Pot odds are an important part of the poker game, it indicates whether you should call a raise from your opponent. In order to calculate pot odds, you know how many outs you have. These are the cards you need to make your winning hand. Here is an example how you can calculate; Suppose you have KQ and the flop is T-5-J. As you can see every nine or ace gives you the nuts (straight). Even if a woman or king comes you have good chances to win the pot.

• What’s in the pot

• How much does it cost to stay in the pot

• How many chances do you have to make the best hand Suppose that all $ 100 in the pot and it costs $ 10 to call. The chance of a straight on the next card is 8 cards, because there are 4 aces and 4 nines in the game. Your chance is approximately 2 x 8 cards + 1 = 17%, while it will cost you only 10% to call. If there are 2 cards your chance is 2x 17% = 34%.

Know your chances

Worth well to know:

• If you have AK you have 40% chance to score a pair or better
• If you have a pair you have a chance of 11% for a set (3-cards of the same)
• If you have a flush draw on the flop you have a 35% chance of making your flush
• If you have a straight draw you have a 30% chance of making your straight

How to play suited connectors

Suited connectors like JT but also like 76 are beautiful cards which offer many opportunities. Always try to limp in the pot with these cards or see a flop as cheap as possible. These cards often give a flush or straight, and they are often unexpected. If the flop doesn’t help you it is very easy to fold.

How to play against a maniac

Once in a while you are up against a maniac, but how do you play them? A maniac will really play any card and make the most insane bets. It is very difficult to play against the maniac, you never know whether the player has 27 off-suite or 2 aces. Bad timing playing back will cost you lots of chips. What is very important when you play against a maniac is not to bluff. Against a maniac bluffing will be very expensive because the maniac will not fold quickly. You should play tighter and once you get the good hand attack the maniac. Often you do not even have to bet because the maniac will do that for you. Do not be afraid to check and let the maniac make his big raise, just follow him any time he raises. Don`t show your strength and you’ll gain lots of chips.

Go all-in more often

Go all-in more often if you think you have the best hand. Regarding the” gap concept “, by David Sklansky, the hand you go all-in can be much weaker than the hand you call with. So, if the pot is interesting make your move but be careful, a fish will go all-in easily with the same cards that he plays in a regular pot.

Bluff-bet

You can occasionally bluff-bet if an ace fall on the flop. Your opponents will fold when they don`t have an Ace themselves or a flush/ open ended straight draw, simply because there is no higher card like the ace. Of course, this only works if there are not too many players in the pot or the players are very loose. And if you are re-raised immediately you are up against a slow player or if you are caught bluffing, he is playing back at you. You can find more bluff tips here.

The calling of a raise to bluff

A technique which is used by experienced players is calling a raise with the intention to later go bluffing. You should use this tactic against players that you can push out of the pot with a big raise. The idea is to call a bet with possible draws, regardless of your own cards and that once one of the big draws hits you make a big raise.

Your opponent must be good enough to see that you might have made your draw, don’t use this against weak players because they will play every hand. This tactic also works if a player raised pre-flop and there are only small cards on the flop. If they will play a good high card you often raise the pot to win immediately. However, if they play a big pair, of course you can lose lots of chips, be prepared to give up the hand if your opponent comes over the top.

Tips for starting poker players

When you are new with poker, start reading these beginners poker tips.

We have a valuable collection of poker tips, tricks and articles on Texas Hold’em poker, the most popular form of poker today.

Do not play every hand
Of course you would like to play every hand otherwise you cannot win. Remember that experienced players play 1 out of each 4 hands and fold the rest. Tight = Right

Don`t be a Calling Station
Even though you almost hit your street, sometimes it is really time to fold your hand, depending on how big the bet is of course. Don’t make a huge bet once bluffing because good players can quickly classify you as a weak player and your clever tricks will quickly trick yourself out of money.

Try to stay calm

Always play calm and focused. Keep an eye on the other players and do not browse the Internet when you’re playing.

If it fails, you are not just another bad poker player

Poker is a game with peaks and valleys, sometimes all the cards fall right on your favor, or sometimes you are unlucky and loose every hand, this is part of the game. Make sure you always play focused, and on the long term you will be a winning player.

There is always someone better

In any sport there is always someone better than you. Even professional athletes know this and always work hard to improve. Keep this in mind and try to identify strong players at your table. You know that you should not take too many risks against them and should not bluff too much.

Take your time

The better players seek to find weaknesses in your game, so they look to see how fast you click. Just don’t click too fast and leave just the standard run time, the player can at least not figure out your hand. Do not use the automatic call button.

Watch out with Aces with a weak kicker

AT loses 70% compared to AJ, AQ and AK. AT often wins small pots against QQ such as the ace on the flop falls. However, if you play against the AK you often lose a lot of chips…

There are no friends in poker

If you are playing poker forget the friendship. Don`t give the other poker players a free card, you can be sure that you will sooner or later regret. If you want to play to win, you bet / raise as you normally do, top players always do.

Play your strong hands aggressively

Be selective about which hands you play, but if you play you should bet and raise more than check and call. Take the initiative on the flop with good hands, especially if you are in position, and usually make a c-bet on the flop.

Do not pay too much to play

Of course it is nice when you start playing poker with money that you can afford, however, start at the low limits. Winning at the low limits gives you as much satisfaction as when you win at high limits. Realize that every beginning poker player makes mistakes and it’s better to learn from your mistakes at the low limits than on the high limits. Poker wisdom and practical experience will not come until you play a lot of poker pots. So be smart, start at the low limits and work yourself up to the higher limits. It is much more satisfying when you are sure that the level you play is a level you can handle.

New in the poker game, go practice online

Everest Poker offers its players an exclusive online training room. This is a good way for beginners to get familiar with the rules of poker. The training room is pleasant and does not have the pressure of playing poker against real players. You can learn the game by playing against training robots. This means you can take your time to learn how to play and gain confidence in the poker room. You can use the online poker training room as often and anytime you want.

More poker tips on our advanced poker tips page.

Big Slick

Ace-King, also called Big Slick is one of the most popular starting hands in Texas Hold’em no-limit. Yet it remains a tricky card to play, many players are already heavily into the problems come. Many players play Big Slick as the AA or KK, there is raised and re raised along when in fact it is nothing than a hand-drawing, but only one with a lot of potential. Often played into large pots, and all too often takes on the Big Slick against women, as the QQ is located just behind Big Slick, if AQ is Big Slick is obviously a big favorite. Important to know is that on any pair, even though the 22 AK little behind, so it is usually a coin-flip.

So how do you play ace-king? There are several ways to play Big Slick. If you have Big Slick is your position important to you and how much action, there was. You are in early position you can consider your AK to limp and a call to raise the flop as cheaply as possible to see. But you remember that if you miss the flop, chances are you’re beat, so keep this in mind. Are there a few Limper for you can try to thin the field up to 2 players to place a substantial raise, a different strategy may be your map as a drawing hand and hope to see you score a draw. You can also just meelimpen from late postie, if you raise one place, you risk that your opponent’s fold, and your game is to alternate your less predictable, for instance you could do if more than 1 a 2 Limper for you. Most players would raise with AK from any position, so you will be limp as soon not put on an AK.

If then an Ace or King on the flop is much action can you expect, especially if your opponents also have gehit. If you have not gehit and there are 1 or 2 opponents, you can obviously a continuation bet places to see if you can still pick up the pot. Players with Ace M / Boer / ten will often specify the hand while small pairs if they have not been set often give up on playing the hand is not! If you raised for your course may be your calling with Ace King and see the flop, in position is because you can always bluff when the flop this invitation, especially if your opponent makes no bet. If the flop both the Ace and King contain only then, and do not directly slowplayen because the chance is there of course that there is a draw, so make a good raise, first to build a pot for the players and of course what on a draw down to pay to call. Go All-In especially preflop with Big Slick, you’ve finally nothing, do this only if you’re a tournament short-stacked, you will usually be lighter, and you called towering favorite course to double by Ace – Ten etc. Of course, you always call you in a tournament.

Bluffing

Bluffing is an important part of the poker game and is a vital weapon you have to use regularly to play winning at the poker tables. Whether playing live or online via the Internet, it’s time to bluff is always important. Obviously, there is a big difference whether you are playing online or live. If you play live that you can bluff your opponent’s see through because it notes that you’re nervous, you shake, start to sweat or any other body. Live you invisible / inaudible to your opponents and you can even say out loud that your opponents should not call your bluff …. Are you looking for good tips for bluffing, here are the main ones:

• Bluff in moderation, do not be bluffing the whole time because it will quickly and have a trap set up, so you quickly lose your chips. If you still get caught a few times you should adjust your strategy and do not bluff, but if you run the jar with a monster hand is quite simply by betting needs. Your opponents will play even with mediocre cards.
• Do not bluff at all but analyse your opponent’s well. Realize that especially in the beginning of a tournament it often pays to bluff, the weak players will call with minimal hands and do not want out of hand with a bluff against the lamp running. Choose which some players prefer to play tighter or just wait until they have a monster. Not bluff against players that have little chips, often they think they should make a move and they may even go against your bluff, you’ll just lose a free roll … If you’re playing is really little point bluffing often the only ingedonkt and everything you afgecallt. Ultimately it cost them nothing.
• Use the semi-bluff, for example if you sit on a draw or the board is scary, the chance of such flush. Please note that you often asked to build the bluff, preferably pre-flop or on the flop.
• Bluff players, at minimum, preferably against a player, you try to bluff, or more than four players will bluff you really very little chance and was doomed to fail your bluff.
• If you want to bluff, use your good position, make sure there is little / no players come after you. There are also players like the UTG gun under the bluff and a very strong hand representing, this is a dangerous bluff method can only be successful if properly implemented.
• Beware the pot, if there is a big pot is formed it may well be that your opponent’s your bluff pay off because they already have invested a lot in the pot and only a relatively small proportion have to pay to call your bluff.
• How strange it sounds, lets you catch a few times to bluff at the beginning of a tournament, you’ll drop your sample in the hands get paid off much quicker.

This bluff during the 2003 WSOP is world famous, look and see the master bluff … .. Especially the comments and body language of the bluffer is genius ….