As I'm sure you've heard before, "Poker is a simple game to learn but will take a lifetime to master". The good news is that to enjoy and perhaps make money playing poker, you don't need to be an expert. You will generally find that the higher the stakes, the better the players. A seasoned professional will be too busy earning money at the big tables to care about winning money at the small stakes games. So don't worry, start small and you won't be out of your depth.
You will find tips and poker strategies littered all over the internet; however, no list of tips will instantly turn you into a great player. To save you a great deal of time and to hasten your rise to poker fame, icebearpoker have put together a step-by-step guide to becoming a winning poker player.
1. Get comfortable with the rules of the game
Take advantage of the Play Money tables, or low stakes real money tables, to practice a little and to get happy with the controls and running of the game. Read through the Basic Cash Game Tips for some general advice on how to improve your game.
Note: It is important to remember that people play with play chips very differently than real money. Don't get overconfident too soon! Many people prefer to go straight to the very low stakes tables for more realistic practice.
2. Purchase a good poker book and learn some basic strategy
All the books in the icebearpoker store come highly recommended, and have been chosen because of the respect they hold in the poker community. If you do not have enough share points to buy one, then consider putting one (or two) on your Christmas list!
Note: If you are short on cash, take some time to surf the internet for tips. It's time consuming and not all the advice is good, but it will help you get started and playing better than most of your opponents.
3. Practice, practice, practice!
Start/Continue playing real money. It is wise to play on low stakes tables while you are learning (even if you can afford more). Try putting what you have read into practice. Don't worry if you lose a little to begin with. Consider it a learning curve, and focus on improving your game. Practice makes perfect and poker is no exception.
4. Try learning with a friend or in a group
Discussing poker is a fantastic way to improve your game. It's also fun. Still not enough? Then there are many internet forums where you can talk poker 24/7.
6. Move up the stakes
As your game improves, you may find yourself getting confident enough to move up the stakes. Moving up the stakes is important if you wish to continue improving your game. However, don't get over confident, and always remember there is more to learn.
7. Practice good bankroll management
This is crucial. You don't need to go broke. Just be content with moving down the stakes if you lose money. As a general guideline, avoid playing with more than 10% of your bankroll at any one time.
8. Don't let the bad beats affect your play
Every poker player experiences bad luck and has bad days, weeks, even months. A good poker player will realise this, and not let it affect him. Be happy if you make the right decision in a hand, even if you end up losing! In the long term, you will surely win. Trying to win your money back too quickly after experiencing a bad beat is so common in poker, the behaviour has a name, 'Tilt'. Don't fall victim to this, as it's a sure fire way to lose even more money.