A Down and Dirty Dozen DOs and DON'Ts

In everyday life you have to follow some rules. For a lot of people, poker is part of the everyday life and the successful players don’t break the rules … they follow them. That doesn’t mean the rules can’t be bent to suit a particular situation but that’s part of game strategy. It’s not part of the basic discipline a player must cultivate if he wants to succeed.

You’re probably going to find lists of things you should and shouldn’t do as a poker player. Our Dirty Dozen focuses on the concepts you need to know if you’re going to play hold’em in an online poker room.

1. DO get a firm grasp on  the rules of the game. Read our Texas Hold’em Introduction Tutorial so you have a basic knowledge on how to play.

2. DO Develop a personal playing strategy that will incorporate game theory. Check out our Best Starting Hands section to learn which starting hands you should play depending on your position. Next, purchase a good beginner’s book on Texas hold’em. Our personal favorite for both beginners and seasoned players is "Hold’em Excellence" by Lou Kreiger.  His book is packed with valuable information and can help you achieve what the subtitle says … take you From Beginner to Winner. Remember, the more knowledge you can acquire the closer you get to success. Purchase it and many others in our Cheap Books section. 

3. DO Maximize your bonuses. Let’s face it. You work hard for your money so when you spend it, you want to get the most value possible. If you’re going to deposit in an online account then make sure you take advantage of any and all bonuses available to you. It's free money (normally tied to a minimum number of hands played). Typically you’ll get the best offers on your initial deposit and it’s almost always better than bank interest. We’re constantly scouting the web for the best online bonus offers so if you check our Best On-Line Bonuses page you’ll find we took some of the work out of your search.

4. DO play a more cautious game when you move from the “play $$” section to the “real $$” online poker. In the play money section, people are willing to play just about every hand they’re dealt. After all, they’re not risking anything. They also tend to make outrageous bluffs. This does create very exciting poker but when you’re in the real-money section this strategy is almost always a losing long-term proposition. If you’re used to playing a large percentage of your hands, you’ll need to adjust your game once you start playing with real money. Better yet, don’t even start playing like a maniac because it’s just a bad habit that’s hard to break.

5. DO Start out with mini-tournaments. Most online casinos have one table mini tournaments you can participate in for a piddling amount-- $6 ($5 entry fee plus $1 rake). This is a great way to stretch your money while experiencing real money action. And remember, it is real money so treat it with care. Normally, the top 3 finishers of a mini-tournament split the winnings with first place getting 50% of the prize money (or $25 in the case of a $5 entry fee).

6. DO know how much money you are willing to risk. Never bring more money to the table than you are willing to lose in one sitting. Sometimes, no matter how well you play, you’re going to experience a run of negative results.

7. DO start at the lower-limit games. Some on-line casinos offer one cent and two cent blinds and even though you won’t make money at this level, you will get the feel of the game.  When you’re consistently winning at the lower limit tables you can take some of your winnings and try the higher limit tables. In poker, every penny counts, if not as a significant amount of money, at least as a sign of success or failure.

8. DO be prepared to lose all your money. Remember, the majority of beginner hold’em players lose most or all of their initial deposit within a few weeks. Yet, these losses are valuable lessons. If you can learn from your past mistakes, you’ll soon join the group who wins on a consistent basis.

9. DON’T take it personal. It’s very easy to get frustrated when a particular player continues to bluff or re-raise you on every hand. Either wait for a strong hand to make your stand or move to another table. If your ego is getting bruised, it can very easily lead to your bankroll disappearing very quickly. It might not seem possible but a good online player CAN spot a weak player. If you watch and learn from the stronger players, you will dramatically improve your own game and soon will be incorporating some of their strategies into your own game.

10. DO expect to experience bad beats.  You might have the best starting hand possible but you’re not always going to have the best ending hand. You’ve just got pocket aces (Ad As*) and your heart starts to pound. As part of your pre-flop strategy you’ve raised and re-raised and now only one other player has called you. The flop comes (Ah 4c 9h). You’ve got your third ace giving you a set. You bet out knowing you hold the strongest hand (nuts) at this point and your opponent calls. The fourth card (turn) reveals a (Kd). Your opponent bets into you and you just call figuring you’ll fake weakness and re-raise after the river (5th card). The final card is the deuce of hearts (2h). You bet and he re-raises you, which you happily call with your last dollar. As you're sitting there ready to collect your winning you realize he turns over a (7h 3h). He has a flush and has now taken all your money. Your mind races. You’ve just lost with pocket aces to an idiot who played a junk hand. Don’t worry about it. It happens. It’s very easy to start questioning whether or not you should play pocket aces. Get over it and get on with your game. The best players in the world can tell you stories of their bad beats and bad bets. One of the reasons they have become great players is because they’ve learned it is just part of the game. 

(*d = diamond, s = spade, c = club, h= heart) 

11. DON’T try to win it all back on one hand. If you’re used to playing the $1-$2 limit tables and you’re having a bad evening, don’t decide you’re going to move up to the $15-$30 tables and win it all back on one hand. If it wasn’t your night on the $1 / $2 tables then it probably won’t be your night at the higher limit either. 

12. DON’T expect to achieve greatness in a few weeks. As they say on television “Texas hold’em takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master”. Nothing takes the place of actual experience. Visit our On-Line Bonus Page and you can be playing within a few minutes.