5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Texas Holdem Game

November 30th, 2007

While there are many things you can do to improve your play before ever sitting down at a Texas hold’em poker game, there are also things you can do as the game progresses to get better. Poker is a game of observation and of using those observations to your advantage. Since all players should get the same amount of winning and losing hands over time, being more skilled at reading your opponents than others are can make all the difference. Here are five Texas holdem tips you can use to improve your results at the poker table.

1. The Guessing Game

A great way to hone your observational skills in Texas holdem poker is to play the guessing game. You do this by watching a hand that you are not in and trying to guess what the players in the hand hold. Be willing to refine and revise your prediction based on new information. You may be pleasantly surprised at how often your predictions are close to or even exactly on target. Of course, once you are actually involved in a hand, this skill will serve you quite well.

2. Higher Level Thinking in Texas Hold’em

When many people start out playing Texas hold’em, they concern themselves only with what they are holding and try to determine if it is objectively the best hand based on the cards on the board. The next level of thinking is considering what your opponent is likely to have based on how they have played the hand. This can make your decisions easier. The third level of thinking is considering what your opponent is likely to think you hold. If you can do this effectively, you will develop a tremendous advantage over most opponents.

3. Watching Texas Hold’em Actively

Many poker enthusiasts love to watch poker on television. As someone who wants to improve at Texas hold’em, you will need to watch much more actively than the casual poker fan. That means rather than just marveling over a fantastic bluff or unbelievable laydown, you need to be thinking about the reasons behind it. Why did the player know that that bluff would work at that particular time? Why did the pro lay down his straight when Player A bet, but raise with it in another hand where Player B bet? To be successful at poker, you should always be thinking about why poker decisions are made.

4. Follow a Player (Live Poker Game)

It can be difficult to figure out the way everyone is playing at your Texas hold’em table. Smart players will change their tactics or may even play differently depending on their changing mood. Much of the time, you don’t even get to see what their hand was. It may be helpful to start by picking a specific player, ideally one you have an immediate feel for, and tracking them specifically. If you target the right player, it’s possible to have a very successful session, even if the other players at the table are fairly skilled.

5. Follow a Player (Online Poker Game)

This is something you can do whether you are in the game or not. Just as in a live game, pick a player and try to learn their tendencies. What is especially nice about doing this is online is that most poker sites will allow you to keep notes on the player directly on screen. As you make an observation, you can write it down in the notes area and call it up with a click every time you face this opponent. Write down everything you notice and you may eventually find it creates a complete picture of this player. Put the pieces together and use the information to dominate this opponent whenever you share a table.