New to Texas Hold'em Strategy? Learn This First

So you already know how to play Texas Hold'em. It doesn't take very long to learn the rules of the game, the rank of each hand, or what in the world the blinds are all about. You can pick up all of these ideas very quickly, but that will take you only so far. To really play the game well, you have to learn - and use - poker strategy. Don't worry. You don't have to do math (pot odds calculations) in your head. That comes later. For now, because you're still new to the strategy of the game, you should start with a much more basic concept: folding before the flop.

Some new players think that folding hands, especially preflop, is a poor way to play. "But if I don't stay in the pot, I can't win!" That's true for that particular pot. You can't win a pot when you don't play the hand. Playing is exciting; folding and watching other people rake in those pots is boring. But when you realize that you're better off sitting out when you know that you're trying to work with a big pile of nothing, you become a better poker player: one who has more money or play chips or whatever it is that you collect when you win.

Before you sit down for your next poker session - whether it's live or online - set your own standards for starting hands. You should have a very good idea of what is worth playing and what you will fold before you show up for your game. That way, you have one less decision to make at the table. This frees up more of your brainpower for other decisions, such as how much to bet or raise.