Susilo
Rising Star
Bronze Level
đŻ Core Beginner poker strategy
1. Starting Hand Selection (Play Tight)
Donât play too many hands. Stick to strong ones, especially early in your poker journey.
Good starting hands:
Premiums: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK
Strong: TT, 99, AQ, AJ, KQ
Speculative (in late position): suited connectors (like 98â ď¸), small pairs (22â88), suited aces (Aâ ď¸5â ď¸)
đ Rule: If youâre unsure whether to play a hand, fold it.
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2. Position is Power
The later you act in a hand (closer to the dealer/button), the more info you have.
Play more hands in late position (button, cutoff) and fewer hands in early position.
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3. Bet Aggressively, Not Passively
Beginners often just call too much â this loses money.
When you play a hand, raise or fold. Aggression gives you 2 ways to win:
Opponent folds.
You make the best hand at showdown.
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4. Donât bluff Too Much
bluffing is powerful, but beginners overdo it.
Early on, keep bluffing rare and smart:
Only bluff if the story makes sense (e.g., board looks scary and you were the preflop raiser).
Avoid bluffing against "calling stations" (players who never fold).
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5. Pay Attention to Bet Sizes
Big bets = strength (but sometimes bluff).
Small bets = weakness (but sometimes trap).
Watch how opponents bet â patterns tell you a lot.
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6. Protect Your bankroll
Donât play with scared money. Use proper bankroll management:
Cash games â 20+ buy-ins
Tournaments â 50+ buy-ins
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7. Learn odds and Outs (Basic Math)
If youâre drawing, know your âouts.â Example:
You have 4 cards to a flush on the flop â 9 outs to hit.
Turn + river â 35% chance to complete it.
Compare your chances with the pot odds to see if itâs worth calling.
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đ§ Beginner Mindset Tips
Discipline beats luck long-term. Fold bad hands.
Donât chase losses. Take breaks when tilted.
Think in ranges, not exact hands. Opponent could have multiple possible hands, not just one.
Practice freerolls or low stakes before risking bigger money.
1. Starting Hand Selection (Play Tight)
Donât play too many hands. Stick to strong ones, especially early in your poker journey.
Good starting hands:
Premiums: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK
Strong: TT, 99, AQ, AJ, KQ
Speculative (in late position): suited connectors (like 98â ď¸), small pairs (22â88), suited aces (Aâ ď¸5â ď¸)
đ Rule: If youâre unsure whether to play a hand, fold it.
---
2. Position is Power
The later you act in a hand (closer to the dealer/button), the more info you have.
Play more hands in late position (button, cutoff) and fewer hands in early position.
---
3. Bet Aggressively, Not Passively
Beginners often just call too much â this loses money.
When you play a hand, raise or fold. Aggression gives you 2 ways to win:
Opponent folds.
You make the best hand at showdown.
---
4. Donât bluff Too Much
bluffing is powerful, but beginners overdo it.
Early on, keep bluffing rare and smart:
Only bluff if the story makes sense (e.g., board looks scary and you were the preflop raiser).
Avoid bluffing against "calling stations" (players who never fold).
---
5. Pay Attention to Bet Sizes
Big bets = strength (but sometimes bluff).
Small bets = weakness (but sometimes trap).
Watch how opponents bet â patterns tell you a lot.
---
6. Protect Your bankroll
Donât play with scared money. Use proper bankroll management:
Cash games â 20+ buy-ins
Tournaments â 50+ buy-ins
---
7. Learn odds and Outs (Basic Math)
If youâre drawing, know your âouts.â Example:
You have 4 cards to a flush on the flop â 9 outs to hit.
Turn + river â 35% chance to complete it.
Compare your chances with the pot odds to see if itâs worth calling.
---
đ§ Beginner Mindset Tips
Discipline beats luck long-term. Fold bad hands.
Donât chase losses. Take breaks when tilted.
Think in ranges, not exact hands. Opponent could have multiple possible hands, not just one.
Practice freerolls or low stakes before risking bigger money.
