Poker Skills For The Beginner

(Q) Is Poker about skill or luck?

(A) Both. But the important thing is that luck can't be controlled. Did you get a good hand? Draw the exact card you were looking for? Great. But since you can't create luck, the best way to increase your poker winnings is to work on your poker skill.

When you get your hand, take a moment to assess the possibilities. What do you have right now? What are the best hands possible that you can create and what do you need to come across in order to create them? If you think you might be able to come up with something, then bet. If it looks completely unsalvageable and the best hand you could create could too easily be beaten, then don't bet.

If no one took a chance and bet with a less than optimal hand, then the game wouldn't be poker; it would be 'go fish.' The outcome of the game is not determined by what you have in your hand. However, as a beginner, you may not feel ready to bluff your way to a winning pot with nothing to lay down. Start out with simple bets, stepping out when you don't feel comfortable.

On the other hand, if you think you have the best hand at the table, bet big and blow out the other players who may be sitting on the fence. If you're confident, the biggest raise possible will help you go ahead and win the pot before anyone else's hand gets better. Strong bets discourage others from betting on weak hands. And when you raise, get ready to re-raise if you have to. If you're going to go for it, then go all the way. Otherwise, you're just wasting your money in building up the pot for someone else to take home.

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