How to Win at Texas Hold'em

Here are some tips to become a better Texas Hold'em player:

1. Only play when in your best mental state. One negative thought could throw you off your game and lose you money. In poker terms this is called "going on tilt". One of the reasons why computers are getting better than people at poker is not simply because they are better at calculating the odds, computers never go on tilt. They are cold calculating devices. You will have to think the same way to be a consistent winner. Also, the more alert you are the more opportunities you will find and the less mistakes you will make. Some professional poker players sleep during the day and play at night because they know some of their opponents will be drowsy and easier to take advantage of.

2. Only play with money you can afford to lose. Professional poker players are always looking for scared money. If they see that a player plays like a mouse (only playing the strongest hands and folding to most raises) the pro will eat them alive. This goes for "real world" as well as online games. A players betting style gives up a great deal of information. However, if you are playing as if it were monopoly money, you will make better, lest hasty decisions. When you are relaxed you can spot the scared money players and take advantage of them instead.

3. Master poker probability. The more you grasp the odds of poker the more of an edge you will have over other players. What is the probability of getting a straight in a ten handed game versus the chances of getting a pair? How many outs do you have? What are your pot odds? Knowing the answers to these questions is what separates the pros from the amateurs. However, the hard numbers cannot always be used as a justification to make a play. There are an infinite number of factors to take into consideration besides odds such as your opponent's betting history, style of play, and personality. Does your opponent think that you play by the books, if so he will use this against you and you will have to play looser and change it up to remain unpredictable. The best players have a good grasp of the math side as well as the psychological side of the game.

4. Practice religiously. The more you practice the more an intuitive feel of the game you will get. You will begin to intuitively grasp the odds and the betting patterns of others. You will have more of a hand history in your head to fall back on in times of trouble. The more you practice the more angles and opportunities you will find to destroy your opponents. When you are not practicing against human players you can practice against poker training software such as that developed by the University of Alberta. As of this writing partypoker.com is offering use of this poker trainer for free.

5. Play more heads up games. I see time and again players who are very skilled at ten handed games but fail miserably when going heads up with someone. These people play too tight and passive when faced against a skilled heads up player. Playing heads up means playing much more aggressively and playing weaker hands. Often neither player has even paired by the river. However, you want to mix up your game. Mix some tight plays with some advertising (playing weak hands to make your opponent think you are a loose player). When your opponent thinks you are playing loose, jam in your raises or slow play with your monster hand. When they think you are tight, bluff with some garbage hands. If he becomes short stacked try to run him over with your big stack. Of course all these tips are simply suggestions and you should only play based on the various circumstances of the game at hand.

6. Read every book you can find on poker and occasionally play the opposite against others. There are levels of poker knowledge and there are levels of poker deception. The best poker players love to play "by the book" players. Those who play only by the book are too ridged and predictable. Predictability kills a player in this game. You will want to know all the rules and tricks of the trade, then invent your own style of play that actually wins pots. Many professional players have completely opposite styles of play, yet they are consistent winners. Ultimately each player has to find out what style of play works best for them.
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