POKER BASICS

So you want to learn to play poker?  Well anyone can learn to play, it’s really a very simple game. Learning to play profitably is another story.  Here is a list of basic steps one should accomplish on the road to becoming a serious poker player.

1. Learn the rules.  The fastest way to familarize with poker is to just play a few hands. You can sign-up and play for FREE at PokerStars.com It’s the largest poker site in the world, so there are always people playing, plus you can have unlimited “Play Money”.
2. Learn the hand Ranks.
3. Learn how to calculate the nuts on each street.  The “Nuts” is the best possible hand for the cards available.  The nut hand could possible change from the Flop, to the Turn, and River.  When playing poker, you should always know what the Nut hand is.
4. At this point you know about as much as every fish out there.  Just enough to lose all your money.  Now to separate yourself from the fish you must begin to study more advance concepts.  Starting with your opening hand selection.  The hands that you choose to play are not static, they’re dependant on your position in regards to the dealer button.  The farther you are from the button, the stronger your starting hand needs to be.  This is by far the most important concept in poker.  At TPS we will help you develop your starting hand selection for each and every position, as well as variations to account for table dynamics (tight/loose preflop play).  Most players think they are doing this, but if you ask them what hands they are willing to play from UTG+1 or MP+2 for example, they can’t give you a definitive answer.  Tokyo Poker Society will provide you with charts for each position and help you calculate the starting hand percentages.
5. So, now you know how to play, and you know what hands to play, but you’re still not ready.  You must learn about bankroll management.  For every limit in poker, you need to make sure you are sitting at the table with the right amount of money.  Moreover, you need to make sure your total bankroll is enough to be playing at that particular limit.  Otherwise you risk going broke!
6. For online players, you can greatly improve your chances by using various software.  There is statistical software to keep track of your results as well as your opponent’s tendencies.  There is table management software, that helps you get seated at multiple tables, and handles your bets sizing. You must become familiar with the capabilities of the software you’re going to use, and set it up in a manner that best fits your style.
7. So now you know how to play, you know what hands to play, you have the right bankroll, and you have all your software.  Unfourtounately, that is still not enough to be a winning player.  Here is where the real learning begins.  This is where more advanced strategy comes into play. You must study the statistical situations that will yield you positive expectation.  You must learn how to Float, Squeeze, Steal, 3Bet, 3Bet light,Value Bet, Continuation Bet, Block, Check Raise, and all the appropriate situations in which these techniques should be used.
8. You must learn how to fold when you are beat.  Pure and simple, yet it is truely one of the most difficult parts of playing poker.
9. After learning all that, you must keep studying.  You must review  your stats, and hand histories. You must go over your trouble hands, find your leaks. 
10. Finely, you must learn to stick with it.  They say nothing of value comes easy, and poker is certainly no exception.  There will be days when you do everything right, but you swing down 5 buy ins.  There will be days where you just don’t see how it’s possible to do this for a living.  All I can say is learn to keep playing.  If you stick with it, and apply due diligence, you will eventually succeed!

Now the question is, do you want to attempt this own you own?  Or would you like help from those that came before you?  Whether you are just learning for fun, or you want to become a serious pro, let us help you. 

Contact us for free poker lessons in the Tokyo area:  Contact Us

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