Low pocket pairs are better then many people think they are. They are also a lot worse then some people think they are. If you’re playing a free poker game it may not seem such a big thing but when its high stakes this stuff matters! Actually, even if you are playing “just” free poker games for any reason other than fun then you should treat it serious. So read on!

Ok to start with if the pot odds are about four to one it’s relatively secure to call, although a drawback, you won’t be pocketless after. Four to one may make you think that you should be calling every pocket pair but at the early stages it’s very difficult.

The difference in folding a few more times could be saving you thousands of dollars in the right environment. If the blinds are still relatively low in comparison to the chip stack and if you have enormous implied odds are also safe times to see these low odds hands.

When the blinds are few and far between then there’s not too much to fear monetary wise. As if you call every pocket pair you will see fewer blinds over a 3/4 of an hour spell.

Although predominately pocket pairs are used as cards to see from the flop, in some scenarios you may even consider going all in with them. To give this some context I wouldn’t suggest going all in with any cards less than 66 as A2 - A5 are favourable cards in today’s game. I cast my mind back to my early playing games where I would miss the flop with AK; you would still end up with an above thirty percent chance to hit the river- so I would go all in without thought.

I use to believe that a thirty percent chance was a favourable amount when talking odds, but as you become more experienced you understand that the only time these odds pay out is the rare occasion your put in a scenario and have to call. Learn your trade playing free poker games before moving on to the money tables so you can understand these rules and odds first hand.

Sole table competitions or sit and go as they’re also known can earn some decent cash with no thought before play. I personally love playing the free online poker sites and also the low stake (up to ten dollars) sit and go websites. I have my methods on how I play these different games which I will share.

Solid and Tight early on.
By playing this way you must play a decent hand near the start of the tournament. Your place at the table is critical- Paris from twenty two through ninety nine, I call and then up to three times the big blind. A bigger raise and I fold them.

Big pairs such as 10/10, Jack/Jack, Queen/Queen, King/King & Ace/Ace I will always call for a raise on a short table.

Get ready to call an all in whichever of those cards are shown- cards such as Queen/Jack, Queen/King, King/Jack & & Ace/10I play similar with tiny pairs & fold to raises higher than three times the big hand.

Now the hands that can get you into trouble.
AJ, AQ, and AK….you got to know when to fold them!! They are great hands when down to 3 or maybe 4 players left, but early on they are dead to any pair.

Learn to lay them down in the early part of a free poker tourney. One of the things I also do until the last 3 and in the money is show my winners. The table see’s Those KK and trip 7’s and so on. And I haven’t bluffed on a single hand…Yet. That comes when only 3 left. No more show and tell.

This sets up some great steals. All they have seen is winners from you…they have no reason to believe you don’t have them now.

As you just played the best cards at the start you have opened the door for the ‘bingo’ players to put themselves out. The odds are by being strong and rigid the chance will fall for you to knock a few opponents out yourself.

The whole idea in any tournament is to win, however making the money in SNG’s much easier. In most cases top 3 pay with 3rd usually paying back at least your buy-in. So making the money is critical to successful SNG play.

Another factor in play is a pet peeve of mine. I cannot count the times I have seen a table fold to a dead seat. There is nothing like seeing a deadhead getting free chips. The key factor here is PAY ATTENTION. You have to be in the game and not on vacation.

These are just a few common sense factors that I employ when playing for cash. I am well over 50 and have played poker in many forms and fashions for a lot of years, but I do have to agree with Doyle Brunson..”No Limit Holdem can be learned in an hour but takes a lifetime to master.” You go Doyle. Hope some of this helps someone improve their game.

Remember, all players new to the game or more experienced who have lost there way; go practice on the small stake or free online poker tables. There are some very good set ups and by gaining experience or finding that winning way again, your doing it with peace of mind that you haven’t lost a wallet full of cash.

It’s very important for your success that you learn how to use psychology in poker, even in free poker online games you should try to think your way to the win…that way those free poker games may become very profitable buy in games and tournaments later on.

Using psychology in poker gives you an edge that can make the difference between winning and losing. In fact, I play the players more than I play the cards.

If you’re going to win the money, psychology is as important as position at the table, the odds and percentages involved in making a hand, knowing how to price the pot, or running a trap.

Good poker psychology is based on two things: intelligent observation, and common sense. Psychology also calls for old-fashioned ham-acting and some high pressure salesmanship. If you put it all together right, you’ll win at poker, whether it is the weekend family game or high-stake poker.

However, it goes almost without saying that you must know the people you are playing poker with; if you don’t know them, you’d better start studying them, because if you really know and understand your fellow card players, you can decide how to play your hand even before the second turn of the cards. Knowing how the other players play is a fundamental sharp poker strategy.

Remember a persons eyes are the path to their soul, and although appearances deceive the eye it’s knowing how to notice any giveaways which counts for all.

So do other physical giveaways, known among professional gamblers as “tells”: One player may talk a lot if he’s got a hand, giving of being anxious to get in; while another player may become very quiet if he’s holding something.

In my case you can’t tell when I’m holding a hand because I talk all the time anyway: I clown when I am playing. Because of the tells that most amateurs or part-time poker players have, I wouldn’t give you a plugged nickel to stand behind these players and call out their hands. They are already telling me through their actions what they’re holding.

Many of the psychological tips you have learnt in this article will only have an impact in face to face games as you will physically need to read their actions i.e. not being able to maintain eye contact. Others however can be applied to the free online poker world too, such as a change in characteristics of an opponent such as a chatter box falling silent through instant chat. Other similar philosophy applies to both the real and online world- another example could be the speed of their play drastically changing. Hopefully from this you will start thinking more during your games and live by the saying- think your way to victory!

One of the best ways to earn big pots in buy in or free poker online games is to know when and how much to bet.

It sounds simple, yes? Well, not necessarily when one of the main errors when playing poker is when people over bet. However, there are occasions where you may need to bet big, and hopefully my tips will help you get the most out of these bets.

There will inevitably be an occasion when playing where you have a great hand. To built up the pot, you need to keep other players in the game. But, as we all know, this is poker and there are times when it wont go to plan.

There may well be a time where you don’t want to be outdrawn so make sure that you play your poker game accordingly.

For Example:
You are in third position, (three seats after the small blind), with pocket sevens (7 diamonds, 7 hearts). You raise three times the big blind and get two callers, the button and the big blind. The flop comes 7-clubs, 8-clubs, 9-diamonds. This is good and bad. You hit your trips, but there is a flush draw and a straight draw. What to do?

What I would do….
#1. If the blind bets, say minimum or twice the blind, I would raise the minimum to see how the button reacts. If he calls, and the blind calls, I can assume they are on a draw and I have the best hand. For now. If either one re-raises I fold.

#2. If the blind checks I would bet four times the blind amount, again to see where I am. Now if the button calls or raises I can assume he has a strong drawing hand, such as two big clubs, or he has a made hand. If the blind also calls I can assume I am way behind. Still, there should be enough money in the pot to justify a call hoping to fill up on the turn.

Regardless what the turn is I plan on checking. If the turn is a six or ten and the blind bets big I fold. If the blind checks, I check. If the button bets the pot or more, I fold. Now, I have lost some chips, but I am still in the game.

Whether playing free poker online or pay poker, the over betting I have seen in situations like this is that the trips bet 80% to 100% (all-in) of their stack regardless of the flop or their position. If one of the other players flopped a straight you are in big trouble. The only way out is to get very lucky and hit a boat, otherwise you are out of the game.

The thing to remember is that if you have gone all-in, you cant change your mind later! If you are new to poker then I would advise you spend some time playing free poker. This should help you improve your game no end and help you move on to big money games.