How to be good at Texas hold'em or less horrible: A beginner's guide

 How to get better at Texas hold 'em, or at least less awful: A novice's guide

It is no surprise that, despite our national lockdown, online gambling has experienced a surge of 43% and 255% in players who have never played before. My game is Texas hold'em. Because there were no other entertainment options available, I joined a Pokerstars group with about 30 friends. Some of them were newbies, while others were experienced poker players who had played for a living. Because I was familiar with the game and its rules, it didn't feel like hold'em was a new experience for me. Despite being only five games in length, I lost several times during the first few days. . . um . . . Fake dollars apiece and I found myself down almost forty. . . Fake . . dollars. Although it wasn't more expensive than a dinner out or a few movies, it was still frustrating. Although I consider myself to be a smart man, it was difficult for me to admit that my performance was poor. There was no way around it. I quit the game after one particularly terrible performance. donts in texas holdem poker

One problem: as bad as I was, it intrigued me. It was maddening that I couldn’t get it right. I refused to believe it was too difficult or too stupid. I became friends with two very skilled poker players and decided to ask them for their tips. I also watched more closely their play. Within a matter of minutes, I was able to have a series if revelations that totally changed my view on the game. Even more important, it transformed my performance.