Sound Poker Strategy

By PokerMan Dan

A poker players strategy has to incorporate many different aspects of his or her game. A way to look at each players strategy is to look at it in terms of a plan, policy, approach, or a tactic. The reason for coming with and using a strategy is to make sure that you are making as much money as you possibly can be and losing as little as you possibly can be. There isn't one strategy that will work for everyone. Each player is different and these differences require a different approach to the game.

Knowing that your hand is the weakest and having the smarts to fold that hand is one of the most important things that a new player can learn. Without being able to do this new players will lose their bank roll and even more importantly lose and fun that they had in poker, and this player is not likely to keep playing poker in the future. By being able to employ this strategy new players will see a longer life in their bank roll and in the playing careers.

On the flip side of the previous point we have the bluff. When you think that you have the weakest hand but you don't think that your opponent has a very strong hand you sometimes may way to push a large bet at your opponent to get him to fold the better hand. This approach must be used cautiously as if you bluff to much your opponents will catch on and eventually you will not be able to bluff anyone at your table anymore.

If your goal is to become a professional poker player you must be a constant student of the game. You must really dedicate yourself to the profession. Read as much as you can, ask more questions then anyone else, and most of all play using winning strategies whenever possible. Using the right strategy in the right situation needs to become a second nature before jumping in the ring against seasoned pros who have played poker thousands of hours more then you may have.

Becoming a great poker player will not happen over night, nor will becoming a winning poker player. But if you stick to a winning strategy and really dedicate yourself as a student of the game both of these are attainable. Read as much as you can, ask as many questions as you can, and most of all play as much as you can within the limits of your bank roll.