With the increased interest in No Limit Poker, and home games popping up everywhere, many beginners jump into the game after watching poker on TV.  It’s either the 2005 or 2006 World Series of Poker on ESPN almost daily, or High Stakes Poker or Poker After Dark.  I have watched many players in different games play like the pros that they admire, but makes many costly mistakes and give off tells that experienced players can pick up and take adventage of.

I have a strategy that I use when going into new games and with new people.  I strike up conversation about poker and what one does for a living.  I watch how they talk to me and tell me what EXACTLY they do, and their behaivor.  I ask how long they have been playing poker and if they play often, and ask about some of their bad beats.  I have noticed that really good players can tell you precisely what happened on their bad beat.  They will tell you what cards they had and also what the came out down to the suit.  On the other hand, beginners who are learning only remember that their small pocker pair was busted but two over cards.  Once we have sat down and start playing, I watch who’s playing with their chips, shuffling their chips and has itchy fingers.  If someone is shuffling their chips, they have played a little bit, as it isn’t something that you just pick up one time at the 1-2 dollar table at the horse/dog track.

Next beginners need to know the game.  I played in a big home game several months ago, and the player to my right said that he was new to the game.  I believed him right away and before the game started.  He kept repeating one or two good hands that he had online, and that he thought his game was heading in the right direction.  I asked him about his position, and the cards he was dealt.  He quickly remembered having K3, but didn’t remember the suit, but did remember that he was the first to act.  He hit the serious flop, and didn’t set the trap.  All players went out but one, and won 200+ chips.  He was very excited.  Back to knowing the game…. the first hand I was dealt AK hearts, and raised to 15 chips.  All but one player stayed with me, so I was almost positive I wasn’t going to win.  The flop came out 6s 7h 4d.  Everyone checked to me, and as I thought about my bet, the player to my right looked at his cheat sheet to see what he had.  When I saw this, I checked too.  I don’t think anyone else picked this up, but I figured that if he had to look at a cheat sheet to see what he had, I didn’t have a chance.  On the first hand 6-10 players lost 60+ chips each out of 100, to the player on the right who hit the straight on the flop.  He had a great start, and was on fire with his cards, but played each hand and lots of bottom and middle pairs that cost him to loose to me when their were only 3 players left in the game.

Lesson Number 1:
You MUST KNOW WHAT BEATS WHAT BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN!!  Know the game.  I suggest playing play chips online at Full Tilt Poker.  I still do play chips at small stakes regularly.  It helps you learn the game, and learn how to play against beginners.

Lesson Number 2: Bottom and Middle Pairs, and Pocket Pairs
Just because you have paired the board does not mean that you should go all in each time.  Bottom and middle pair and small pocket pairs can get you into trouble. You might pick up a couple pots here and there, but once a good player figures this out, they will sit and wait for a monster hand.  They will check to you, and then re-raise.  Sometimes you have to lay it down.  When I first started playing I watched how hands played out, and realized that if there was 5 or more players in the hand, my top pair was going to be beat many times.  If I had top pair with little kicker with 5 players, I was already beat so I tried to keep the pot as small as possible and hope to win.

Just this week, in the weekly Wednesday night game this instance came true.  A somewhat beginner player, who bluffs at a lot of pots got to heads up against me for the win.  After a terribly unlucky beat heads up, where I was dealt KJ spades, and on the flop a king came out, the other player went all in.  Since he was first to play before the flop and didn’t raise, I put him on k5 or lower.  I had him covered with chips and called.  He turned over K3 and the river card was a three.  I made the mistake of telling him that I knew that I had him beat, but was unlucky with his 7% chance getting that three.  From there he continued to bluff and play aggressively, but show me his cards when he really had the winner, but was always bottom pair. (Heads up any pair is really a good hand, and should win a majority of the time)  Finally after being patience, I was dealt 10s Jc, and the flop came out Jh 8d 7d.  I checked to the other player, and he checked also.  Turn card came out 2d and checked again.  The other player quickly called all in, in which I called and with the river coming out 3s I won the Wednesday night game.

Next post will be more helpful hints about winning your home game.  If you have any questions, please email me at scgraphics01@yahoo.com.  Hoping your cards are good, and the flops even better.