Here are 6 ways to avoid looking like a newbie when playing poker

 Six Ways to Avoid Looking Newbie When Playing Poker

Chris Moneymaker was an amateur poker player and accountant from Tennessee in 2002. He was a frequent online player, as well as in casinos, but he mostly ended up in debt. He won the World Series of Poker in May 2003 and the $2.5 Million main prize. Moneymaker defeated some of the most skilled players in the world. It was also the first ever live tournament he participated in. The online game had a $39 entry fee.

You can see that Texas Hold'Em poker gained popularity after this. People all over the world began to seek out the rules of the game once reserved only for back-alley hucksters or outlaws. People began to organize weekly or monthly house poker games as they honed their poker skills, hoping to make it big one day.

Although the popularity of amateur poker players seeking big paydays has waned a little since 2007, the game of Poker still holds a great deal of respect. A casual night playing cards was a great way to have fun with friends or colleagues, and Texas Hold'Em quickly became the most popular game for bachelor parties and men's nights.

That sentiment was what inspired me to host a poker tournament at my house for a friend’s bachelor party. Although I didn’t know what I was doing, I did have a poker table and chips so I decided it would be fun. It turned out to be so much fun that I host a monthly game at home with 7-10 men. It is always a hit. You'll find an article on how to host your own poker night in the coming months.

At the start, I had no idea what I was doing. I was not the host of the game and had to rely on others to help me understand the rules and etiquette. Even though I didn't mind, it was embarrassing to have my buddies remind me of which hand won and what protocol keeps the game going. After six months, however, I feel that I have largely mastered the basics.

Many times, new players join our group feeling a lot like I did. They can also cause financial losses and disrupt the game's flow, so they need to be taught. We understand that this is not a problem, but it makes the game much more enjoyable for everyone.

If you're in the situation of playing your first Texas Hold'Em game, chances are you're not trying to win big or move on to the World Series of Poker. You simply want to be able and confident enough to play with your friends without appearing like a complete beginner. These tips will help you be confident playing with your friends and winning a few hands. We'll be covering basic terms and table etiquette as well as general strategic tips. Let's dig in!

Notable: While there are many variations of poker, this article is devoted to Texas Hold'Em as it's by far the most popular.

1. The Rules of the Games

The game play isn't complicated at all, but there are other things to consider, such as betting strategies or knowing your table positions. (More on these later). You should be familiar with Texas Hold'Em before you start playing. This is a good introduction on rules and game play. This short video will visually walk you through the basics of a hand.

2. Be familiar with the Hand Rankings

The most difficult thing for new players is to know which hand of cards wins. It can get confusing between pairs, straights, and flushes. The chart below will help you understand the order of the hands. In most cases, the pot will be won by a pair or two of pairs. I don't think we've ever seen anything better in house games than a full-house; hands higher than that are very rare.

3. Get to know the vocabulary

It is important to have a basic understanding of poker terminology, even when playing casually. Below is a brief glossary of terms I find most useful when playing poker.

Blinds are a forced wager that is placed by two of the players to the left before any cards can be dealt. The "small blind", to the immediate left, is half of the minimum bet amount. The minimum amount is represented by the "big blind", which is two ahead of the dealer. For example, if you have a $10 minimum bet, the small and big blinds are $5 and $10 respectively.

Button: A button that displays the dealer's place at the table. This button moves to the left for each hand. The button must rotate one position to the left between active players when a player or two is out of the game. This determines who will act first and plays a significant role strategically as we'll see.

Call: Making a wager equal to the previous raise or bet. It's called a matching wager. If the man just before yours raises his hand to $20, you would say "I call" and throw in a $20 chips.

Check: To Not Bet. It simply means that you are "checking", to see what other players do. If there are no bets, you can't check. If you have placed a wager, you can either call or raise.

Community Cards: While this term isn’t very common, it describes the five cards that are “available” for each player's hand. These five cards can be used in three actions: the flip, the turn and the river.

Flop: The dealer's first three community cards are flipped together after he has burned one.

Fold: To lose your cards and any previous bets.

Hole cards: The two first cards each player is dealt. Also called your "pocket card".

Kicker: An unpaired card which is used to determine the best hand when one or more players has the exact same pair, three-of-a-kind or two pairs. The pot is won by the higher card (or kicker). For example, if two players have an eight in their hand and an ace is on the table, the kicker wins and the winner takes the pot.

Pot: All of the money placed in a hand or game of poker.

Raise: This is simply an increase in the current bet.

River: This is the fifth and final community card. It's turned after one card has been burned by the dealer.

Suited: When two of your hole cards are from the same suit. "I had 9-10 suits."

Turn: The fourth community cards are turned after one card has been burned by the dealer.

4. Be Mindful of Table Etiquette

Although it is essential to know the rules and how to play them, you should also remember some basic table etiquette. These "rules" will help to keep the game moving (games can become slow without them), and they will also ensure you aren’t treated as a rookie for the taking.

Pay attention. It's fine to chat, but don't get into loud stories. Everyone has to pay attention. You should also be aware of who is betting the first after the hole cards have finished being dealt. It's often assumed that the person to the left is the dealer. But the blinds cover all three of the initial bets. This means that the third person to their left is actually the one who actually acts first. The first round of betting ends with the blinds covering the dealer's left. If they haven’t folded, the blinds cover the dealer's left. Be sure to act in your own turn. You don't want others to fold or to make a mistake. Your actions can be shared with other players, which could change their minds about what to do. This may seem obvious but it is something that everyone does at my monthly tournaments.

Don't forget to leave your cards at the table. I have been guilty of violating this rule numerous times. It's two-fold. If you are hiding your cards in a cup, it can cause you to be overlooked when it comes time to place a wager. This could disrupt the game's flow for everyone. 2) It makes sure you play on the right track and that you don't cheat or engage in funny business. Standard protocol is to put a chip on your cards to show that you're still playing.

It is okay to pause a hand when you feel the need. It's okay to take a break from playing, such as to get water, refresh your drink, or grab food. If you need to take a longer break, you can say that you will be sitting the next one out. It's okay to miss a few hands so that you aren't wasting money.

5. Basic Poker Strategy

You don't have to play every hand unless you really want. If you have ever read a poker book written by a professional, it will advise that you only play the best hands. Poker is a game about patience. If you are dealt a high pair (aces, kings, queens or jacks), then it is best to fold immediately. It's a winning strategy when you're trying to make money but it's boring when you're just having fun.

In casual situations, many players will play nearly every hand they see, meaning that they rarely fold before they reach the flop. That includes me. This is just more fun. Poker is exciting because every hand can win, even when the odds are against it. By playing all hands at once, you can keep the game going for quite some time and even win the night. Then, after the flop, you can play conservatively. Since I don't care about the jackpot, I'm more interested in having fun than winning. I've also won two of our six poker night prizes with this strategy.

If you want to win but have fun playing, fold the hands that have the lowest chances of success. This usually indicates you have unsuited low card pairs. Even if your kicker wins, even a pair of low cards is not a great play. Phil Hellmuth’s book Play Poker Like the Pros has more information about which hands you should play. However, keep in mind that Hellmuth is extremely conservative and plays to make money. You can learn from pros to find your winning strategy and balance between fun and winning. What You Should Not Do When Playing Poker