A Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Poker Strategy | Betsquare

There is so much more to the game of poker than meets the eye. There are heaps of elements that combine to make a talented poker player. Today’s best poker players are maths gurus, exceptional problem-solvers, emotionally stable and have the patience to play the long game.

Although luck plays a part in poker, there’s plenty in this game that you can control. Within this page, we’ll explore all the facets of live and online poker strategy for Aussies just starting. Whether it’s picking the right hands to play and fold, highlighting the ideal table position to play hands or recommending a sustainable approach to managing your poker bankroll, we’ve got all the angles covered below.

Strategy is the beating heart of poker. This intricate dance of skill, psychology and maths separates winners from losers. In this epic card game, strategy isn’t just important – it’s paramount. Whichever variant of poker is your bag, the decisions you make at the table will largely determine your success.

A well-crafted poker strategy assesses your opponents, understands the odds and masters the art of deception. It’s about calculating risks, managing your bankroll wisely and adapting to ever-changing table dynamics. Without a strong poker strategy, you’re less likely to maximise your wins and mitigate the inevitable losses. These solid foundations turn this unpredictable card game into a controlled, strategic battlefield.

Poker strategy plays a key role, no matter which variant of poker you choose to play down under. Several popular poker variants are offered to Australians playing poker online and offline within the poker rooms of land-based casinos. 

Below, we’ll explore these variants and outline the main features of each poker game type so you can choose the one that appeals to you the most.

Texas Hold’em is considered the premier format of poker. Established in the early 20th century, its roots can be traced back to the small Texan town of Robstown before making its way across the Nevada desert to the casinos of Las Vegas.

As the world’s most popular version of poker, it’s easily the most accessible format to learn and play with Australia’s leading online poker rooms.

Unlike some poker formats, you’re only dealt two cards by the dealer. You must then make the best possible five-card hand using any of your hole cards and the community cards available to all players active in the hand.

Omaha is a close second as the most popular poker game format. Unlike Texas Hold ’em, which is typically a no-limit format, Omaha Hi is usually played as a pot-limit game.

What is a pot-limit game? These are poker games where player bets and raises are capped at the current size of the pot. For instance, if the pot after the flop was $50, you could only bet up to $50, and your opponents could only then raise you by a maximum of $100 ($50 flop + your $50 maximum post-flop bet).

The other big difference between Texas Hold’em and Omaha Hi is that players are dealt four hole cards in the latter rather than two. Statistically speaking, this makes it easier to make premium hands in Omaha. Hi poker.

Prior to Texas Hold’em, Seven-Card Stud was the most popular poker format of all. It’s now been put firmly in the shadow of Texas Hold’em, but you’ll still find that most Aussie-friendly online poker rooms will offer Seven-Card Stud cash games and tournaments.

In Seven-Card Stud, each player is dealt their own full hand. Some of the cards are face up to your opponents, while the others are face down, obscured from view. By the end of the seventh card, it’s possible to see four of your opponents’ seven hole cards, making it easier to gauge the potential strength of their hands by the final round of betting.

A symbiotic relationship exists between your betting strategy and table position at the poker tables. Early position seats are those to the immediate left of the big blind. They must act first, without any information on the strength of their opponents’ hands. Middle position seats are those midway around the table from the big blind, while late position seats include the dealer button and the player to the right of the dealer button.

Without knowing the betting actions of your opponents before committing chips to the pot, it’s best to be conservative in early position, playing solely premium starting hands. In middle position, you should also largely stick to premium starting hands, as plenty of players still have to act behind you. You may bet aggressively in middle position if you believe the current opponents in late position are weak and likely to fold to pre-flop aggression.

In late position, you’ve got a strategic vantage point. You have the luxury of observing most of your opponents’ move before picking the best course of action for your own hand. Positional awareness is a powerful tool. It allows you to capitalise on the vulnerability of those in early position.

You may consider loosening your hand range in late position. You can get creative with drawing hands here, especially if none of the players acting before you have raised the big blind.

What’s great about all forms of live and online poker is that you can win without holding the best hand. Although we spend lots of time discussing optimal starting hands, poker ultimately requires you to outsmart your opponents whichever way possible. Bluffing is one way to outwit players at your table, representing a strong hand and forcing them to fold what you believe to be stronger than your own.

First, ensure you understand how your opponents think and play. Do they play aggressively, with a wide range of hands? Or do they sit tight and only wait for premium starting hands? If they take note of opponents’ strong raises, you’ll have a chance of spooking them off their hand when the time is right, making them think you’ve landed a monster hand of your own.

Timing is everything with bluffing in poker. It’s a fine art. Bluff too much, and your cover will likely be blown. The worst-case scenario is that a player calls your bluff, and your foiled plan is exposed when your cards are shown. In this situation, your opponents will no longer respect your raises, labelling you a loose-aggressive player, i.e. someone prepared to play a wide range of hands.

Spotting a bluff when you play live poker in person is easier. Over time, you grow accustomed to your opponents’ tells. These may be physical tells, where they do something subconsciously out of sheer nerves.

Judging bluffs online is harder since you can’t see them face-to-face. Instead, you must consider their betting patterns. When someone bets very quickly, it’s often a sign of a bluff. Novices think that betting fast indicates strength in online poker. As a matter of fact, experienced players see through this. They recognise when novices are trying to rush through a hand, hoping a hefty bet is enough to force them into submission.

In online poker, gauge the size of your opponents’ bets. Does the bet feel genuine? Are they betting for value with a strong made or drawing hand? Or are they simply overbetting the pot to try and imitate strength? If it’s the latter, in many cases, they’re being disingenuous, and you can call their bluff.

You can take several approaches with your betting strategy at the poker tables. Each of which can be used depending on the dynamics of your table. Below, we’ll run through some core bet types and when to use them to your advantage.

Poker is a battleground of minds as well as cards. One of our number-one poker tips is to take the psychological aspect of this game seriously. Players will employ all kinds of psychological tactics to manipulate their opponents.

We’ve already touched on bluffing, a prime example of a player feigning strength or weakness to mislead their opponents. Reading and exploiting your opponents’ psychological vulnerabilities is a critical skill. It gives you an insight into their hands and intentions.

Emotional stability is one of the keys to a profitable poker strategy. Your “poker face” must create a barrier between your opponents and your hands. This stability is also vital in dealing with the upswings and downswings that inevitably come in poker. Negating the feeling of tilt – a state of emotional frustration leading to bad decision-making like chasing losses – is the bane of most rookie poker players.

Those who can accept bad beats and bounce back by making rational decisions are much more likely to stay the course.

Table image is another facet of poker psychology you need to think carefully about. A table image is your perceived playing style in the eyes of your opponents. Do you want to be viewed as a tight, conservative player, or do you want to be considered aggressive and reckless? A reckless table image means most players are unlikely to respect your raises. At the other end of the spectrum, if you’re considered an ultra-tight “rock”, you’ll find it very hard for opponents to consider calling when you do raise.

Learning to switch-up your table image mid-game can exploit opponents’ perception of you, giving you a subtle yet potent edge in the game.

Poker isn’t just a competitive game; it’s a game of respect. Table etiquette goes a long way in poker. It helps to ensure a respectful and enjoyable gaming environment for all. It doesn’t just promote a positive, friendly atmosphere, but it also ensures fast, smooth gameplay.

Rule number one – avoid excessive chatter or distracting behaviour at the tables. Each player should have the headspace they need to focus on the game. Don’t take unnecessarily long periods to make decisions on your own hands. 

In live poker rooms throughout Australia, opponents are allowed to “call a clock” on you, where the floor boss gives you a set amount of time before you’re automatically folded from a hand. If you’re clocked too many times by opponents, you’ll develop an unwanted reputation for yourself at the tables.

How you use your betting chips is another important aspect of table etiquette in Australia’s leading live poker rooms. Don’t splash your chips into the pot, making a mess for your opponents and the dealer. Keep your own counsel when you’ve folded a hand. It’s not your place to commentate on how your opponents are playing.

Ultimately, good sportsmanship is the cornerstone of table etiquette in poker. Be gracious in victory and defeat. Your behaviour with online poker rooms is less important as you don’t see your opponents face-to-face. However, it’s still recommended that you avoid goading opponents during and in between hands via the live chat box.