Mastering Texas Hold’em can feel like a lifetime venture, can’t it? The game is so complex and advanced that even with poker stat software and dedicated study, there is no guarantee of reaching the top. We realise most of you don’t want to commit to this level of hard work to become a formidable cash game opponent – that’s why in this article we’re going to offer some quick win tips that will help you.
Abuse Position
Most players accept the truth that position is power in poker. But they still don’t grasp to what degree or take advantage fully. Whilst a downloadable poker cheat sheet will offer some basic tips on why position is important, it won’t illustrate exactly how. In short, we suggest you really abuse your position as much as possible. This means opening very wide and stealing the blinds, 3-betting opponents who raise lightly in front of you and bluffing on scare cards post flop. These simple actions are extremely effective in cash games where stacks are deep and opponents are more inclined to fold average holdings.
Be Awkward
One thing regulars love facing is predictable opponents. Most major sites have a pool of “regs” who play long hours and often. You will find them when you play and they’re easy to identify due to their lack of fishy traits. We suggest that you mix it up against them with timing. Do unpredictable plays to throw them off. Regulars want to win easily without any hassle and don’t like meeting resistance. Therefore, throw in more re-raises before the flop, check raise the flop on a bluff or donk lead with your nut hands. These types of plays will confuse regulars and increase the chance they will make mistakes themselves.
Carefully Choose Your Games
Unless you’re playing fast-fold poker formats, you can carefully choose the games you are sitting in. Most recreational players are carefree and just sit on any table where there is a spot. This is foolish as there is almost always going to be a better table if you wait. We highly recommend you look at the table stats first. By choosing games with a high view flop percentage or higher average pot, you know you will be in a game with looser opponents and juicier action. These are the games where more profit is likely to be made as you’re probably facing opponents who are more inclined to stack off with top pair or a draw.
Summary
As you can see, you don’t need to spend thousands on poker courses or read the best poker forums to get some quick wins. If you’re playing NL $50 and below, the tips in this article will give you a fighting chance of recording a winning session. As always, we advise you to employ strict bankroll management, stick to budgets set for gambling and don’t play long sessions. Texas Hold’em should be a fun game first and foremost and not lead to problem gambling.