5 Beginner Limit Holdem Tips
Know When to Fold
This is hands down the number one tip for playing Limit Texas Holdem. Way too many times I've played against a player who just couldn't seem to stay out of every pot. Occasionally they would get a lucky break or hit an amazing river card, but for the most part they just continued to lose money.
If there's a doubt in your mind about the hand and your ability to win it (excluding pre-flop), you should more than likely consider folding it. Just remember, if you don't play, you don't lose (much). The best players I've ever played with don't even actually play, they sit on their stack until they get a winning hand.
Refrain from Rage Betting
If you have ever watched the World Series of Poker or a similar broadcast, you should know exactly what this refers to. Inexperienced and even experienced players tend to get angry when losing a hand and overplaying their next one. This happens especially when the hand they lost with was lost due to luck or if they had a great hand pre-flop.
Take deep breaths if you lose a big hand and realize that at least you are still in it. Watch other players for this to happen though, if they start playing strong shortly after, there is a good chance they are actually weak and looking to regain some footing. With practice you will learn eye movements and slight facial tweaks that coincide with “Rage Bets”.
Bluffing is So Last Week
Bluffing plays a huge part in no-limit holdem. Unfortunately, this is a guide to limit holdem. Bluffing in limit holdem is weak and usually quite ineffective. The reasoning behind this is that most players will call anyways as the limit is normally fairly inexpensive. Just remember to be careful if you do bluff. For the most part, I would recommend avoiding it completely.
Be a Pessimist
This is weird for me to say; I am an optimist, as long as I am not playing Texas Holdem Poker. Always believing you are going to win a tournament or something is completely fine and even recommended. Believing that you always have the best hand however, that's a huge downfall. Many new players enter the world of poker thinking they're going to make tons of money, and in reality, that optimism makes them do just the opposite. Maybe pessimist is the wrong word, but at least be a realist. You aren't going to win every hand and you need to accept defeat when it happens.
Be Spontaneous
If you want to succeed in this game, do not ever play the same. Poker players train themselves to lock onto every little thing you do while playing. Change up your playing style continuously; never let them catch on to you. If you're too conservative or too aggressive you will be figured out and ripped apart. The only player I have ever seen have success doing that is Gus Hansen and I haven't been seeing him around much anymore.
