Disclaimer: This knowledge will only tell you how to win against poker amateurs. It will not make you play like Phil Ivey. Very few people can play like Phil Ivey. In fact, statistically, one one person can play like Phil Ivey. Phil Ivey.
With statistical acumen and advanced maths like that, you know that you’ve come to the right place for poker advice.
You might have a poker game with some friends coming up, or an invite to one, and want to at least be able to partake in the game instead of watching the evening pass you buy as you haemorrhage the contents of your wallet.
Read on for the number one rule that will enable you to compete.
What does ´play less hands’ mean in real terms?
- After the cards have been dealt to each player, and before the first three cards in the middle are shown (“the flop”), there’s a round of betting called “the pre-flop”.
- If you have a bad hand, fold your cards then. Don’t put any money in when it’s your turn to bet and sit this round out.
- If your hand isn’t likely to win at showdown then it’s not worth wasting any money on.
- Some rounds you’ll be forced to pay the small or big blind. That’s fine. Get out at the first sensible opportunity. You’ll win more money in the long run only playing good hands.
How to win against poker amateurs
Let’s say there are six sat around the table playing. There’s a few beers, you’re catching up with friends, the pizza is on his way, the socially awkward friend is going to accidentally say something deeply offensive at the end of the evening. We’ll need to edge them out of the social group over the next few months. Maybe you’ve all put £20 into a pot and the last person standing gets £120. Clearly, no one is betting Vegas money.
You’re playing Texas Hold’em, so every player has two cards of their own. With six players holding two cards, that’s 12 cards in play. Some more winning maths there.
Yet there’s 13 different cards in a pack: 2-10, jack, queen, king and ace. So if there’s a 1 in 13 chance of getting an ace, and there’s 12 cards in play, it’s likely that someone has an ace. If someone doesn’t have an ace then someone almost definitely has a king.
The cards you are holding are part of your “hand”, and the 3 and 9 in your hand aren’t looking so great anymore.
Only take a strong hand to showdown
Whoever has the ace is desperate to get to the end of the game, or “showdown”. They know that all they probably need is another ace to come out and they’re smashing it. Some other players with picture cards fancy their chances are in it to win it too.
So, there’s some big cards in play. If a big card comes out in the five “community” cards in the middle that everyone shares, and you don’t have that big card, then someone else probably does and you’re sunk. It’s better to get out early when you don’t have a good hand.
Of course anything can happen. But if you stick with your 3 and 9, and an ace or a picture card comes out and completes someone else’s pair, you’re high and dry.
You’re not going to win every hand
With six people playing you’ve only got a 1 in six chance of winning. Call me Good Will Hunting. So the odds are against you from the start. You’re going to need a killer hand to win.
And against five other players, the best hand won’t be a pair of threes. You should only take strong hands to showdown.
How to win against poker amateurs: Be selective, keep it tight; play less hands
How to win against poker amateurs: Only play with a few cards. Keep folding until you get some good cards. Only playing with good cards is called being a “tight” player.
Let’s say; only bet if you’re holding two picture cards, or a very good picture card and a 10.
If your friends play “loose”, in that they use a lot of different cards, many of them inferior, then when you come up against them at showdown you have a higher chance of beating them. You’ll only be holding a great hand.
You’ll need to play some rubbish hands so people don’t realise you only bet when you have a killer hand. Otherwise they’ll fold when they see you bet as they know you’re packing heat.
But, in general, playing with a tight range of cards against fellow amateurs is going to mean you’ll win more than you’ll lose.