Online Poker

Patience

If you play too many hands in a pro-level poker game, you will likely not win -  it is mathematically impossible to last for any length of time. But, if you play this many hands in a home game, you may fair better because the sheer size of the pot from the hands you draw out on may offer sufficient pot-odds to draw on that inside straight or whatever the case may be.

Bluffing

Bluffing will succeed in a professional poker game. It is hard to pull off a bluff in the family oriented game.  The main reason for this is the limits are set against you. That 25 cents you've raised the pot isn't going to be enough to scare anyone away, even if it was a check-raise. Anyone will call, even if they thought they were beaten. In a professional poker game, bluffing is a sound strategy. If you've played very few hands, it's very possible to steal a pot at the end of a hand by becoming overly aggressive at the right time.

Reading your opponent

If professional poker was a game of chance or luck, there would be no such thing as professionally poker player and the people you see on the television constantly winning tournaments (i.e. Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, etc) would just have to be the luckiest people in the world. This, obviously, is not the case. 

Poker Tips, Tactics & Strategy

Tight play, Aggressive, Random play & Taking advantage of other players’ mistakes

Some player’s judge poker playing skills based on the results of every session. The main objective is to make the best possible play at all times. The closer you come, the better the outcome will be.  As everyone knows, poker is indeed a mathematical game of partial information. Winning poker starts with the choice of which starting hands to play. Starting the pot with the best hand more often means you will win more times than the other players.

Finally, another skill is to keep away from tilt. Emotions will be used along the game, but only if you let it. Emotional issues can play results in poor decisions and lost money. Tilting and steaming can happen - sometimes the only alternative is to leave the game & have a rest. You can play more poker the next day, or week….or month!

Mike Sexton's Poker Tips

Pay Attention - Watch who's playing aggressive or loose and who's playing tight - play the loose players. Avoid tight players, unless you got a strong hand.

Watch the Chips - Beware everyone's chip count. Know who has more chips than you and play more carefully against them - a mistake could knock you out. It's better to play pots with players who have fewer chips than you do.

No Match - If your cards don't match any of the community cards, throw your hand away - when someone else bets.

Ace in the Hand - Don't play every time you have an ace in your hand. Play an ace if it's accompanied by a card of the same suit or by a 10 or higher.

Hands to Stay Before the Flop - Play with pairs (7-7, 9-9), two face cards (K-Q, Q-J), or hands that can make a straight and a flush (8-9, 6-7 of same suit). Fold other hands, unless you're in the blind.

Got a Good Hand? Bet Strong - In no-limit Texas Hold'em, players can bet all of their chips, bet ONLY when you have a good hand.

Watch and Wait - Play fewer hands when you're one of the first players to act, or you'll be 'out of position' and vulnerable to raises from the remaining players.

Wait for Your Turn - Do not act until it is YOUR turn; play proceeds clockwise at the table.

Be a "Bettor", not a "Caller" - Being aggressive is good.

Call Their Bluff - If someone raises in a late position (near or on the button), re-raise them a good amount if you are on the blind. Chances are, they don't have a big hand and they're just trying to steal your blinds. (This style of play, known as going 'over the Top', is probably the strongest play one can make in no-limit Texas Hold'em.)

Be Patient - Do not rush. When you're making an important decision pause to think about how the betting has gone and what your opponent might have. Take your time.

This collection of poker tips was written by Mike Sexton.

Mike is host of PartyPoker.com and the official commentator for World Poker Tour.