Top Tips for Amateur Poker Players
Improve your game by getting the simple things right.
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I’ve accumulated a lot of poker experience over a lot of years. I’ve played in many ‘home games.’ I’ve played online. I’ve played in swanky London casinos and I’ve played in Vegas. I’m not a professional, but my overall record is pretty good and it’s reasonable to say that I am ‘of a professional standard.’ Perhaps just as importantly, however, I’ve also taught a lot of people how to play the game and guided them from clueless beginners to competent players.
And if you’re a casual poker player playing in a typical home game, looking to improve your game, you might well find this article helpful. It’s not about advanced strategies. It’s about the simple stuff that is often overlooked. I’ve met many players who’ve read one or more advanced strategy guides by famous professional poker players, but who don’t understand the basics as well as they think they do.
It’s probably true that most home games are social occasions, played for small stakes, in which the beers are as important as the cards. But winning feels so good! So here are a few tips that might help:
1. Never forget that poker is a game of skill.
