Basic Information About Poker
Find Your Game
Find a game that suits your budget. If for example, you buy in for $100, you should be on a $50 pot or no-limit game, or alternatively a $0.5-$1 limit table (these can all be found from the Poker Lobby). If your buy in is between $150 and $250 then look for the next tables in the range and so on. This way you should have some money in reserve, and you should feel comfortable with the bets.
Try Playing Tournaments
Try playing tournaments at first. This will give you some insight into playing the games as there is real money at stake, but your investment is limited to your tournament buy in (from $5 upwards). You will learn how and when to bet more accurately than on the free games. With tournaments you decide exactly how much you want to play for, and you should get more time and experience on the games for your money.
Learn About The Odds
Remember, Poker is a game of skill as well as luck. Part of this skill is knowing the odds of your starting cards (e.g. 1st 2 cards issued in Hold'em) and then turning them into winning hands. It is best to know, at least the ten best starting combinations. E.g. in Texas Hold'em, these are as follows:
Rank |
Cards |
1 |
AA |
2 |
KK |
3 |
QQ |
4 |
JJ |
5 |
AK Suited |
6 |
TT |
7 |
AK Mixed |
8 |
AQ Suited |
9 |
KQ Suited |
10 |
AJ Suited |