How To Be A SMART Player

While you should appreciate comps when choosing a site it’s important to keep their value in mind. They’re a nice perk that can help you bankroll and in some cases mean the difference between a winning and a losing day. But they can never replace sensible gambling and clever money management.  In short to be a S.M.A.R.T player you must adhere to the following guidlines:

S: Search for the best incentives. Shop around for the most lucrative comp programs. Be sure to check the site’s “Terms & Conditions” to see exactly what must be done to earn those comps.

M: Maximize comps’ value. Don’t deposit more than you have to in order to get value on a comp. If the site offers a $50 bonus for a $50 deposit, don’t over invest in the site. Deposit $50, get the free $50 and take it from there.

A: Attempt to win not just to earn out the comp. Don’t squander a hefty bankroll simply to try and earn a comp.  If you’re having a losing session have a break or stop altogether.

R: Redeposit when it’s profitable. If you like a site and it offers a monthly deposit bonus program, try to time new deposits so that you get another comp.

T: Take back profit. Once you’ve earned out your comp,treat it like your money. Don’t waste it on foolish bets bacause of the misguided notion that you’re “playing with the house’s money”. You’re not. As soon as you reach the point where the comp is cleared, it becomes your money. Don’t give it back needlesly.

Assessing The Competition

If you play against strangers, it’s often difficult to spot tells since you don’t know them. If you play with a regular crowd, you have the opportunity to study them and to familiarise yourself with the type of betting strategy they use. Let’s take Texas Hold’em for example. Some players have the habit of raising preflop when they are bluffing. When they are bluffing they normally place their bets without hesitation.

When you’re playing with regular players, make a mental note of their habits. For example, you may notice that particular players always start playing with their chips when they are bluffing or when they have a good hand. Before play go through your dairy again just to refresh your memory. When you discover a tell about a specific player never reveal it to the other players. Once you know the player’s weakness it’s easy to profit from them. Never tell the player about his weakness since he may modify it.

Types of Players

Players can be divided into different classes. Each player has a unique style of acting. A strong, experienced player normally gives very little away. They tend to be expressionless and move very little. When you come up against these players you must be on top of your game at all times. Make sure you don’t give away any signals especially when you have a good hand. Don’t rush into your bets, try and draw them out, if you can intimidate them go for it.

Agressive players will try to intimidate you. They may attack with big bets, tend to talk a lot, look you in the eye and ask you questions about your hand. They use these tactics to make you fold rather play. To become a good poker player you must learn to avoid these tactics. If you have a good hand, press on and don’t be scared.

Novices players are still learning and make all kinds of mistakes. They may play a poor hand confidently believing that it’s a good hand. They tend to overact when they have a good hand when in actual fact they have a poor hand. They tend to take their time which is very frustrating to seasoned players. Bluffing adds another dimension to your poker just don’t overdo it. Having a good hand is more likely to win you a game than bluff. As a rule of thumb you must bluff every 20 to 30 hands.

If you get caught bluffing once in a while it will not have a negative effect on your game. If you bluff constantly the other players will soon catch on and you might exit more pots than you care to remember. Try and develop an image as a tight player who only bets when he has a good hand and folds when he has a poor one. If you then opt to bluff you’ll be more convincing because your opponents won’t expect it from you. Most players will think you have a good hand and will be wary of your raising stakes as you have a reputation.