10 Things You Can Start Doing TODAY to Improve Your Poker Game

 Here are 10 things you can do TODAY to improve your poker game

1. You can start reraising your pet with a polarized range.

Most amateur poker players raise with one of the following ranges before the flop

Amateurs just reraise with premium hands. This is a terrible strategy as it allows all their premium hands to face up. It allows their opponents the ability to call when they have the right implied odds, or fold if they do not. Your opponents can make perfectly informed decisions if your hand is turned face up. This will cost you a lot.

After realizing that raising only with premium hands is a loss strategy, people tend to shift to reraising using a linear range. They raise with both premium hands and with hands they feel are strong, such A-J and 7-7. This can work against players that call reraises using hands that are easily dominant, such A-9 and K-T. However it does not work against those who use premium hands or have hands that do well against linear ranges such as 6s-5s and 2-2. It is not common for thinking players to call reraises prior to the flop with hands that perform poorly against a narrow range of hands. They recognize how harmful it can be to be dominated regularly.

The ideal range for reraising will most often be polarized. This means that the ideal range includes the best hands like A-A, Q-Q and J-J as well as those who are not good enough to raise, such Ac-9d, Kd-5d, or 9s-6s. It is possible to call instead of raising with the majority of your good but not exceptional hands such as A-J and K-Q or Ts-9s. This allows you to determine if you are a good flopper before you commit a substantial amount of money.

Raising before the flop in a polarized style allows you to play more aggressively and increase your premium hand's profitability. They will find it difficult to play against you when they are not sure if your opponent has the nuts or nothing.

2. You can now start to place more continuation bets in heads up pots.

Although most amateur players know that they should continue betting on the flip if their hand is improving, many people fail to do so when they are completely out of luck. If you're only up against one opponent, and especially on flops which should be good for both your range or your opponent’s, you should continue to bet almost all the time.

You should always continue to bet if your preflop raise is made from the early position. Checking behind on 8d-7d-2s, 6c-5c-4c are two examples of flops you might want to consider. These should be better for your opponent’s range than yours, and should therefore be worth checking. However, if your raises are from all positions within a reasonable range (as I suggest in my book), you can continue betting on all boards a high percent of the time. Any flop that could connect with you hand could be possible. If you raise only with a tight range, it is best to stop betting on certain boards.

3. Start two barreling more.

Although many players feel comfortable placing continuation bets on most flops they still need to remember that they should always be firing again when they turn the table, even if they have nothing. As the continuation betting has become more popular, more observant players are calling or raising them with a wider range. Your opponents may call your continuation bets with wide ranges. You should keep betting the turn with wide ranges until they make further adjustments.

You should also make it a point to place a bet on the turn whenever the board dramatically changes. This includes when an obvious draw is complete or when you get additional equity. Surprised at how often a bet on the turn will steal the pot?

4. Start getting comfortable postflop.

As you progress to higher stakes you'll find that large pots result from betting after the hand has flopped. Problem is, most amateurs have not played before the flop. Local casinos aim to quickly finish tournaments so that players can jump into cash games.

To move up in the tournament poker game, you need to be comfortable not having all of your money in by the flop. Although this can create more uncertainty in your hand's relative strength but it will make you feel more confident about where your money should be invested.

5. Begin putting your opponents on a range hands.

You're not correctly playing poker if your opponents are dealing a wide range of hands at once. Paying attention only while you are playing in a poker hand will cause you to miss out on crucial information about your opponents. This can lead to you losing a lot of equity every time you enter a tournament. Inattention can also lead to a loss of time in learning how to set up ranges. You will see a significant improvement in your poker skills if you make it a habit to practice every time you are at the table. Paying attention to nothing will make you lose.

6. Learn other forms of poker.

It is important to know how to play shorthanded and heads up poker, especially if you plan to participate in tournaments. Because they have to play weak hands, the vast majority of amateur poker players are terrified of playing against them. In reality, they don’t know how hand value changes. They end up over or underadjusting, which leads to massive errors.

If you play at a full table you don't have this problem. However, tournaments require you to play short handed because the biggest prize is at stake. If you don’t know how you can play short handed, it will put you at a disadvantage.

This principle is applicable to all cash game players. When you are able to start a cash game with just a few people or at night when the table is about breaking, these are the most lucrative opportunities in cash games. This allows you play more hands than usual against the weakest player at the table and gives you a great win rate. You will lose these great earning opportunities if you refuse to play shorter handed.

It is also a good idea to learn other games, besides no limit hold'em. Learn to play other games and you will find it easier to get rid of your default poker strategy. You shouldn't spend too much time learning other games. Instead, focus your attention on the one you believe will make the most money in the long term.

7. Start getting in shape.

Many amateur poker players believe poker is played only on the felt. Many of the best poker players are skilled in the technical aspects. They are distinguished by their mental and physically fit bodies. A player who can play well over 8 hours can win more money than a player who can only play for 12 or less hours. Good physical health will enable you to play longer without losing your mental focus and emotional control.

Regular exercise is the best and most effective way to improve your health. Do not push yourself too hard if you are just beginning to exercise. You can start slow and work your way up to a more difficult routine. Hire a trainer if you don't know where to begin. Before you begin your poker sessions, I recommend that you do some moderate exercise. This will help you feel more relaxed and allow you to think more clearly.

Working out is something most people know, but eating right is often overlooked. What you put in your mouth has a direct effect on how your body and mind function. Eat pasta and icecream all the time and you will have blurred judgments and become overweight. Healthy eating habits include lean meat and vegetables. This will help you think clearly and keep you in good shape. I have experienced a significant change in my life since switching to a healthy diet. I strongly suggest you look into it.

8. Sleep well.

I know that if my sleep is not at least 7 hours each night, I will not be able play poker well the next day. It is that easy. If I am going to play poker that day, getting 7 hours sleep is my top priority. If my friends want me to stay up late with them or there's a business issue, I just ignore them and go to bed. I prefer to think clearly. If I'm tired at the table, it usually means that I made a terrible mistake the night before.

9. Start writing down your handwriting and then reviewing it.

Reviewing your play at the conclusion of each session is a great way to learn. It is a good idea to keep a journal with you so that you can record all the important hands of poker you play. If you try to remember every hand, you will be amazed at how much your memory fails you. Here is a video I created that explains how I have recorded my poker hands over the years.

Once your hands are recorded, you will be able to discuss them with friends or your coach. You can also look at them at night to determine if any errors were made. I'm usually not happy with how I played a few hands on most days. I try to identify where I made mistakes and then adjust accordingly. Your chances of making mistakes will decrease, and your winning rate should increase over time.

10. Get started studying poker.

You're not learning enough if your poker time is spent primarily at the table. Before I was able to play for real money I had read more than 10 poker books. Studying before I played gave me a significant advantage over my opponents who learned from their mistakes. When I first started playing, I found that I could be a great player by spending half of my time studying and half on the game.

It is easy to learn from videos and books by some of the most successful players in the world today. I have published a variety of books, as well as a site called FloatTheTurn.com that hosts poker training videos. It is a good idea to learn from top players. I am a member on several training sites. I also watch poker training videos. Enhance Your Improve Your Online Poker Game