It takes time to learn how to play poker online or offline at a level above the unthinking, uneducated "chip flinging" seen at many tables when you play free poker.

Just like aggression is a little counter-intuitive, that is, betting more out actually wins more back in, playing better cards can actually win you more pots.

So before you even think about learning poker tournament strategy, you have to learn the basics. Get acquainted with the hands - which beats what and which ones you would really want to be holding. Learn about the blinds, or bets, and how you can use them to your advantage. Familiarize yourself with the difference between cash games and tournaments and the techniques that are best used in each of them. Most of all, practice your poker face. When you're ready, it's time to move forward and start planning your poker tournament strategy.

The next four best starting hands round out the Elite 8. Though these are strong hands, you have to be a bit more careful with pocket Jacks and the suited high Aces, but the chances are still huge that you are top hand before the flop. You should raise and try to drive out the drawing hands if there are no raises in front of you. Depending on the style of your opponents, main aztec gems demo beware of the flop that shows Aces or Kings. If there is an over card on the board and a tight player raises in front of you, your best decision may be to fold your Jacks.

poker betting strategy The third and most important thing to do to conquer your betting is, at a later time when you aren't playing poker, analyze the information you recorded about yourself on what was stopping you betting.

Being in the small blind can also be beneficial to you. This is because you are almost the last person to bet pre-flop, and the first person to bet post-flop. So let's say the hand is still pre-flop. The whole table checks around to you. Here is a good opportunity to raise the pot, as well as some attention. You make a bet about the size of the pot and get a few people to call. The flop comes and it is all low cards. Now is a good time to make a large bet and steal the blinds.

However, this is also a strategy that you don't want to use too much. The reason being is because you'll be giving your opponents a lot of information they can use against you later in the tactical plan.

For example, if you play a sure thing hand of 85%-15% you will win most of the time, but sooner or later that losing 15% will come around. Factor that in.