Poker has been around for centuries. This game of cards however, only gained global popularity since it went digital. Today, more and more amateur players are seeking to learn and indulge in playing poker after realizing the stakes involved. Poker is truly mainstream in the 21st century with opportunities at the international level awaiting with just a few clicks and taps. Naturally, this brings us to no surprise that the amount of people looking to make a career out of poker is higher than ever before. If you are new to the game and if you can’t wrap your head around its complexity, then Spartan Poker is here at your rescue.

Here are eight lessons that every amateur poker player must learn.

1) Do Your Homework

Amateur poker players severely underestimate the power of research and analysis. Poker is a game off the table just as much as it is on the table. When you are just starting, you must try and dedicate as much time as possible into reading poker books, going through webpages, learning and studying about the game and spend time understanding the calculations, odds, poker hand rankings, strategies, etc. Read what experienced players have to say about certain situations, you may encounter them yourself during your next game, and so you need to be prepared. If you think you will start playing the game and excel, that sadly will not happen.

2) Review Yourself

Sticking to the subject matter of poker being a game off the table as well, you must be able to judge and analyze your own performance. Poker has a lot of skill involved in which using the right poker strategy in the prevailing situation is key to win the pot. In one single game, you will encounter numerous unique circumstances; you will see your opponents make a whole lot of critical decisions based on different aspects like their bankroll management (BRM). You will be put in a spot to make such moves as well as being a beginner; you might not assess the situation thoroughly every time. So have a notebook and pen beside you. Take notes, go through them later. See where you went right and where you did not. If you have an expert player at your disposal, discuss your performance with them but remember to always review yourself.

3) Learn to be a Tech Freak

During the olden days, you would have to travel to your local casino to try your hand at the table. However, things have changed drastically in today’s day and age with poker, mainly being a game played online. You can play dozens of big money poker tournaments against players from around the world in places like Spartan Poker. These poker rooms come with a ton of user-friendly features such as HUDs(Heads up Display), Poker Odds Calculators, and a whole lot more. Official third-party software that is recognized by the poker room and is within the ethics of the game are also allowed to help you gain the upper hand. These softwares are programmed to give you the smoothest and profitable poker experience possible. Knowing them and knowing how to use them will improve your poker game and elevate it to another level. Be sure to make use of such tools because you can be assured that others at the table are surely using them, especially the serious players.

4) Calling is Not the Only Option

A successful poker career is built on the correctness of betting and raising since it allows you to play your best hands to the fullest while also blocking bluffs. However, amateur poker players make the mistake of continually calling over and over again without a thought process. When you make so many calls but hesitate to make any bets or raises of your own, you are inviting trouble because players around you will immediately sense that you do not know what you have gotten yourself into. Calling without caution will see you lose more than you should have, and not won higher when you could so don’t be that person.

5) Folding is Golden

A highly effective yet underestimated move to improve your poker game would be the skill of folding. Novices tend to judge folding to be cowardly or uncalled for wrongly. In reality, if you are playing a serious poker game and if there are 10 players at the table, then your odds of having the best poker hand are tremendously reduced. In such situations, you will be forced to bet when at the blinds. But otherwise, it is always better to fold. By folding at the right time, you cut yourself from massive losses. If you are thinking about betting or raising, you must ask yourself in all honesty about how far that choice will take you. If there is even an inch of suspicion and your BRM does not let your stand a chance in taking risks, then always go for the reliable fold.

6) Play Multiple Variations

Poker is a game of variety. You play with cards, contest for a prize, but your way of doing it differs as per the variation you play. There are over 200 forms of poker played today, and although you may not play all of those, you should master at least the most popular ones. Texas Hold’em can be termed as the face of poker. It is by far the most recognized form of the game played around the world and highly lucrative as well. You need to master this variation first as its essence is what you will find in most other game types. But once you get habituated with the fundamentals of Hold’em and the structure gets second-nature to you, then you can always dabble with different game types like Omaha, 7-Card Stud, Americana Poker and all the others. This will keep you entertained, give you ample experience, and teach you a whole bunch of styles, approaches and strategies.

7) Don’t Be Nervous

Although the most cliché of them all, amateur poker players need to stay calm and collected at all times. Poker at first could be pressurizing, and many decisions would need to be made on the move. Sometimes you could end up calling when you should have folded, and folded when you could have confidently raised. In the end, you need to understand that such is the nature of this game. Sometimes you’re right, sometimes you are not, and so it’s okay to make a wrong move or two. The most experienced of poker players find themselves in a mix after wrongly predicting an outcome; it happens. The key for you is to stay focused and show intent. You enter a game with only one intention – to win the pot. If at all you feel it isn’t your game and things aren’t going your way, then fold at the first opportunity you get. It is only the players that loiter around that end up losing the most. Whatever your gut tells you and your mind finds right, go for it without being nervous.

8) Plan Your Day

Amateur players put so much emphasis on time at the table that they completely ignore the time they spend away from it. If you are serious about the game and look to make it your profession, you will seriously need to draft a timetable for you to follow on a daily basis. You cannot play deep into a tournament by spending hours at the computer and then jump to another one instantly. You need to plan out your breaks. Although some tournaments have time constraints to join; whenever you can, pick and choose tournaments that fit your local time. Eat healthy and workout regularly. This isn’t a sport, but mentally, you will need to be tough. Sitting for hours and staring at the screen could be dangerously unhealthy over a length of a period if you do nothing about it, so add a little training session from time to time. This will serve as a distraction, help you stay fit, and mentally strong as well. Dedicate hours to read and research about the game, but also reserve your sleep time and time to do other things you may enjoy like meeting your friends, watching a movie, or reading a regular book. A balanced day plan is vital for an amateur player if you wish to play in the long run.

Those were eight of the best tips you could find as a poker beginner, and we hope it helps you kick-start a positive journey with the game of cards. Bear in mind that poker is a game of skill and luck. So, by design, a lot of things may not go as per your plan. Things change every minute in this game and strategies too. You will have to learn to take decisions as per the scenario available. For that, read more about poker, its variations, rules, etc., on Spartan Poker. You can also download our app, be rewarded with welcome bonuses, register for our freeroll tournaments and practice your game without putting anything on the line while having the chance to take the entire pot. Poker is simplified on Spartan Poker, and we wish you luck for your future at the game of cards!