These simple yet effective tips are sure to help novice players take their game to the next level.
Poker is as fascinating as it is complex. You learn the rules quickly, but there will always be topics to be covered and explored.
However, experience has shown me that novice players basically make the same mistakes. They play too many hands, they do not respect position, they do not select opponents, they are passive, among many other obvious leaks.
In order to help this audience, I will write about small tips that will help these players a lot, so here we go:
Play far less in limp pre-flop
Beginning players have no idea how bad it is to play in limp pre-flop, as a general rule. Of course, there may be specific circumstances in which you can give limp, but never as a general rule.
Selective aggressiveness is extremely important in poker, and that means playing less passively pre-flop. Therefore, when you have decided to play the hand, choose, for the most part, to enter in raise pre-flop.
Play few hands
Cash games are not about winning multiple hands, but about winning good pots. For this to happen, you should not play a high percentage of hands, but select carefully and play the best hands, at least, until you have a certain level of experience.
Beginning players play far more hands than they should and, consequently, gradually melt their stacks. So, keep in mind to play the best hands.
Remember, poker is not like 100 meters, but a marathon.
Avoid dominated hands
Following the line of reasoning in the previous tip, of playing the best hands, I suggest that you avoid playing hands that will be dominated a lot of times. AT, AJ, KT, KJ and JQ hands, while looking good for beginners, can cost you a lot of money in the long run.
Most inexperienced players still do not know how to read the range of their opponents properly, nor do they have the discipline to fold hands that hit top pair, but are still not enough to win at the showdown. Therefore, I advise you to be very cautious and avoid hands that are possibly dominated by opponents.
Daniel Dornelles
