How to Win at Poker: 5 Tips for Beginners
For beginners, poker may seem like a complex and confusing game. At first glance, it may appear to require exceptional mathematical skills and the ability to read opponents.
In reality, to start winning money at poker, all you need to do is follow some basic principles consistently, which we’ll discuss in this article.
Table of Contents:
- Stick to a Tight Playing Style
Use Statistics
Statistics are one of the most valuable tools in the arsenal of the modern poker player. Using statistical data will give you a significant edge over opponents who are “playing blind,” relying only on intuition or general experience.
If you’re just starting out in poker, you shouldn’t overload yourself with too many stats in your HUD. Start by focusing on two key pre-flop stats — VPIP and PFR. These stats are updated after every hand, giving you a quick insight into your opponents’ playing styles, allowing you to adjust your strategy.
• VPIP (Voluntarily Put Money in Pot) shows how often a player participates in pots. A high VPIP indicates a wide range of hands, while a low VPIP suggests the player only enters pots with strong hands.
A range in poker refers to the set of different hands a player could have in a specific situation. Experienced players, instead of trying to pinpoint one specific hand, think about the entirety of hands their opponent could have.
• PFR (Preflop Raise) indicates how frequently a player raises preflop. A high PFR reflects an aggressive playing style, while a low PFR suggests a more passive approach.
We are dealt KJ offsuit in the Small Blind facing an open raise from an early position.
Our hand looks decent at first glance, containing two high cards and potential for a straight. However, in the Hand2Note 4 HUD, we can see that our opponent plays very tight, with VPIP 16% and PFR 12%.
Additionally, an early position raise indicates an even tighter and stronger range. This means our KJo will often be dominated by hands such as AJ, AK, KQ, or pocket pairs of JJ and higher.
Considering these factors, the best decision is to fold and wait for a more favorable situation.
Select Tables with Fish
Choosing the right table is a crucial aspect that beginners often overlook. Many think that in order to grow in poker, they need to compete with the best players. In reality, this only increases the risk of losing and reduces confidence.
Even the best poker players in the world always aim to play at tables with so-called “fish” — recreational players who play for fun and make many mistakes.
Playing against such opponents allows you to win pots more frequently, protect your bankroll, and gain more experience in comfortable conditions.
To identify a fish at the table, pay attention to the VPIP stat. If over 20–30 hands, this stat exceeds 40%, there’s a high probability you’re dealing with a weak player. The higher the VPIP, the more weak hands they play, which inevitably leads to bigger and faster losses over the long run — benefiting you.
In the multi-player reports in Hand2Note 4, I filtered out all players who have played at least 100 hands with a VPIP of no more than 40%:
As we can see, their expected loss rate is only -2.5 bb/100. While you can gain an edge over such players, they won’t lose much money to you in the long run.
Now, let’s look at players with a VPIP of 40% and higher:
Their loss rate increased to -39 bb/100. These opponents are more willing to part with their money, and your goal is to find a table with at least one such player.
Stick to a Tight Playing Style
For beginners, the best strategy is to play tight. This means focusing on strong starting hands, particularly pocket pairs and high cards.
Such hands are capable of forming dominant combinations, such as sets, overpairs, or top pairs with a strong kicker. With these, you can confidently bet, build big pots, and force your opponents to pay for their mistakes.
We opened with a raise holding AK offsuit and got a call from a fish on the Button with a VPIP of 70.
Postflop, we made three value bets on a dry board with the top pair and top kicker.
In the end, the opponent gave us their stack, showing A7 offsuit. Having hit a top pair with a weak kicker, they couldn’t bring themselves to fold.
This highlights the importance of being selective with starting hands preflop.
If you play a wide range, you will often find yourself in tricky situations with medium-strength hands, such as second pair or top pair with a weak kicker.
These hands rarely generate significant profit, as they’re hard to play post-flop. As a result, you may end up in situations where your opponent won’t call your bets with weaker hands, and will continue only with stronger hands.
Playing tight will help you avoid such problems and minimize risks.
Play More Hands in Position
Position in poker is hugely important. When you’re “in position,” you get to see all of your opponents’ actions before making your own decision. This gives you a strategic advantage, as you gather more information about your opponents’ intentions and the strength of their hands.
When in position, you control the pot size and dictate the action. Therefore, on the Button you can play a wider range of hands, since the positional advantage will always be in your favor postflop.
The Positions report in Hand2Note 4 reveals that I play the widest range of hands on the Button, which is also where I achieve my highest expected win rate.
Play Aggressively
Aggression is one of the key factors that differentiate successful players from losing ones. It gives you the opportunity to win pots without showdown, even when you don’t have a strong hand.
A raise preflop creates pressure on your opponents, often forcing them to fold hands that are nominally stronger than yours.
If the flop doesn’t improve either you or your opponent, you can take down the pot with a continuation bet because your range is perceived as stronger, containing all premium hands like QQ, KK, and AA.
We made an open raise from the Button with JT suited, and a fish with VPIP 61% called us from the Big Blind. The flop came dry, 885 rainbow, and the opponent checked.
Although the flop didn’t improve us, the right decision is to continue the aggression and make a bet.
First, statistics show that our opponent plays very straightforwardly and folds to a c-bet 80% of the time.
Second, with such a high VPIP, a significant portion of their range will consist of weak hands that missed the flop. Betting allows us to force hands like Qx, Kx, or Ax, which currently beat us, to fold.
By adhering to simple, basic principles, you’ll quickly build a solid foundation for successful poker play.
With Hand2Note 4, you will learn how to effectively analyze opponents’ statistics, identify weaknesses in their play, and exploit them. This tool will become your reliable assistant at every stage of your poker career.
How to Win at Poker: 5 Tips for Beginners
For beginners, poker may seem like a complex and confusing game. At first glance, it may appear to require exceptional mathematical skills and the ability to read opponents.
In reality, to start winning money at poker, all you need to do is follow some basic principles consistently, which we’ll discuss in this article.
Table of Contents:
- Stick to a Tight Playing Style
Use Statistics
Statistics are one of the most valuable tools in the arsenal of the modern poker player. Using statistical data will give you a significant edge over opponents who are “playing blind,” relying only on intuition or general experience.
If you’re just starting out in poker, you shouldn’t overload yourself with too many stats in your HUD. Start by focusing on two key pre-flop stats — VPIP and PFR. These stats are updated after every hand, giving you a quick insight into your opponents’ playing styles, allowing you to adjust your strategy.
• VPIP (Voluntarily Put Money in Pot) shows how often a player participates in pots. A high VPIP indicates a wide range of hands, while a low VPIP suggests the player only enters pots with strong hands.
A range in poker refers to the set of different hands a player could have in a specific situation. Experienced players, instead of trying to pinpoint one specific hand, think about the entirety of hands their opponent could have.
• PFR (Preflop Raise) indicates how frequently a player raises preflop. A high PFR reflects an aggressive playing style, while a low PFR suggests a more passive approach.
We are dealt KJ offsuit in the Small Blind facing an open raise from an early position.
Our hand looks decent at first glance, containing two high cards and potential for a straight. However, in the Hand2Note 4 HUD, we can see that our opponent plays very tight, with VPIP 16% and PFR 12%.
Additionally, an early position raise indicates an even tighter and stronger range. This means our KJo will often be dominated by hands such as AJ, AK, KQ, or pocket pairs of JJ and higher.
Considering these factors, the best decision is to fold and wait for a more favorable situation.
Select Tables with Fish
Choosing the right table is a crucial aspect that beginners often overlook. Many think that in order to grow in poker, they need to compete with the best players. In reality, this only increases the risk of losing and reduces confidence.
Even the best poker players in the world always aim to play at tables with so-called “fish” — recreational players who play for fun and make many mistakes.
Playing against such opponents allows you to win pots more frequently, protect your bankroll, and gain more experience in comfortable conditions.
To identify a fish at the table, pay attention to the VPIP stat. If over 20–30 hands, this stat exceeds 40%, there’s a high probability you’re dealing with a weak player. The higher the VPIP, the more weak hands they play, which inevitably leads to bigger and faster losses over the long run — benefiting you.
In the multi-player reports in Hand2Note 4, I filtered out all players who have played at least 100 hands with a VPIP of no more than 40%:
As we can see, their expected loss rate is only -2.5 bb/100. While you can gain an edge over such players, they won’t lose much money to you in the long run.
Now, let’s look at players with a VPIP of 40% and higher:
Their loss rate increased to -39 bb/100. These opponents are more willing to part with their money, and your goal is to find a table with at least one such player.
Stick to a Tight Playing Style
For beginners, the best strategy is to play tight. This means focusing on strong starting hands, particularly pocket pairs and high cards.
Such hands are capable of forming dominant combinations, such as sets, overpairs, or top pairs with a strong kicker. With these, you can confidently bet, build big pots, and force your opponents to pay for their mistakes.
We opened with a raise holding AK offsuit and got a call from a fish on the Button with a VPIP of 70.
Postflop, we made three value bets on a dry board with the top pair and top kicker.
In the end, the opponent gave us their stack, showing A7 offsuit. Having hit a top pair with a weak kicker, they couldn’t bring themselves to fold.
This highlights the importance of being selective with starting hands preflop.
If you play a wide range, you will often find yourself in tricky situations with medium-strength hands, such as second pair or top pair with a weak kicker.
These hands rarely generate significant profit, as they’re hard to play post-flop. As a result, you may end up in situations where your opponent won’t call your bets with weaker hands, and will continue only with stronger hands.
Playing tight will help you avoid such problems and minimize risks.
Play More Hands in Position
Position in poker is hugely important. When you’re “in position,” you get to see all of your opponents’ actions before making your own decision. This gives you a strategic advantage, as you gather more information about your opponents’ intentions and the strength of their hands.
When in position, you control the pot size and dictate the action. Therefore, on the Button you can play a wider range of hands, since the positional advantage will always be in your favor postflop.
The Positions report in Hand2Note 4 reveals that I play the widest range of hands on the Button, which is also where I achieve my highest expected win rate.
Play Aggressively
Aggression is one of the key factors that differentiate successful players from losing ones. It gives you the opportunity to win pots without showdown, even when you don’t have a strong hand.
A raise preflop creates pressure on your opponents, often forcing them to fold hands that are nominally stronger than yours.
If the flop doesn’t improve either you or your opponent, you can take down the pot with a continuation bet because your range is perceived as stronger, containing all premium hands like QQ, KK, and AA.
We made an open raise from the Button with JT suited, and a fish with VPIP 61% called us from the Big Blind. The flop came dry, 885 rainbow, and the opponent checked.
Although the flop didn’t improve us, the right decision is to continue the aggression and make a bet.
First, statistics show that our opponent plays very straightforwardly and folds to a c-bet 80% of the time.
Second, with such a high VPIP, a significant portion of their range will consist of weak hands that missed the flop. Betting allows us to force hands like Qx, Kx, or Ax, which currently beat us, to fold.
By adhering to simple, basic principles, you’ll quickly build a solid foundation for successful poker play.
With Hand2Note 4, you will learn how to effectively analyze opponents’ statistics, identify weaknesses in their play, and exploit them. This tool will become your reliable assistant at every stage of your poker career.
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