Poker is often said to be a game of people – and it is at the highest levels. But when starting out in the small stakes games ($.50/$1.00 - $3/$6), the difference between winning and losing has nothing to do with reading your opponents’ facial twitches and everything to do with choosing the right hands to play. As your game improves and you begin to move up in limits, the cards you play will shift. However, when you first start playing, simply abiding by these rules will make you tougher than most people at your table

Starting Hands

Don’t Take One Off

One of the biggest mistakes players make is calling on the flop in the hopes of improving on the turn. They rationalize it to themselves by saying the bet is only half price. Often times, a person holding a small pocket pair will call a bet hoping to hit their set on the turn. They’ll do the same thing trying to fill an inside-straight draw. The problem is there’s rarely enough money in the pot to justify that play. The odds of filling a gutshot are about one-in-12. The odds of hitting your set are even worse, about one-in-24.

Don’t Bluff Crowds

Running a successful bluff is one of the most exhilarating feelings in all of poker. A wave of euphoria comes over you knowing that you just earned money that you had no rightful claim too. Maybe that’s why people lose so much money doing it. If you’re against one, maybe two, opponents and feel there’s a good chance they don’t hold anything strong, go ahead and fire a bet and try to get them to fold. However, when there are three or more suitors for the pot besides yourself, make sure you have a real hand before spending your hard-earned chips.

Know Your Image

If you’re having one of those days where every hand you’re dealt is ace-king or a big pair, don’t bother trying to bluff. The more you bet, the more your opponents are going to try and look you up hoping to catch you with your hand in the cookie jar. It doesn’t matter that you’ve held legitimate hands all day. Your opponents don’t know that. On the other hand, if the dealer has been dealing you junk all day, go ahead and run a few bluffs. If you haven’t bet all day, your opponents have to respect the few times that you do put money in the pot.

Pay Attention

Card players don’t take breaks while at the poker table. Even when not holding cards, you should be concentrating on the actions of the other players at the table. Watch what sort of hands they have when they’re betting and raising. Figure out whether they like to feign weakness on the flop and then pounce on the turn with their strongest hands. Try to guess the exact cars that players hold even when you’re not involved in the hand, so that you’ll have a better idea of how to play against them when you are.

Don’t Show Your Cards

When the police arrest a suspect, they are required by law to tell them “anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” Poker is the same way. Any information you give to opponents will be used by them to try and take your money. And every time you turn over your cards, you give opponents extra material to try and take advantage of you. Some professionals show their cards occasionally to try and manipulate opponents. When you turn pro, you can choose to do that as well. Until them, keep the cards face down.