Free Poker

This article gives you some key free online poker tips that I have found build winning foundations. We’ll look at different player styles and how to counter them and the importance of table position and how to play each position.

Categories of Players

Call Stations
These players likes to see a flop doesn’t bet or raise he only calls or checks until the river that is why they are labelled as Call Station. You can extract money on this player as long as you play your normal game but be careful not too bluff at this player because it won’t work. Also known as Loose-Passive.

Rocks.
These players do not want to get involved with more hands and thus only plays with strong or premium hands.

The rock is easy to bluff as he believes everyone else is as honest as he is! This players favorite action is folding or calling if he has a premium hand. If a risk calls your bluff respect the call as he won’t be counter bluffing you. Also known as Tight-Passive.

Maniacs.
The maniac loves to bet, raise and bluff all the time almost regardless of the hand. They will often go all in pre-flop without hesitation. This is a common free poker online player. Only call these players if you have the best hand. Don’t bluff them as they’ll counter you right back with no hesitation. Maniacs are also called as Loose-Aggressive.

Solid Players.
The better players you will find, can be regarded as pro players in the context of the free poker online site or game you are in. They understand poker inside out and know a lot of tactics for all occasions and will be trying as hard as you to identify your play style. They know when to fold and when to go all in if sense a bluff. They don’t play on luck or for fun, they play strategically and understand probability. Also known as Tight-Aggressive.

Position
Position is really the answer to getting the most of poker. If you don’t know how to play by position then you’re playing poker blindly. An QK might look nice to call however its really not too good if you’re the first to act and the other players are awaiting your action.

Early Position.
This position refers to the first player to act ahead of the flop. This position follows the blinds.

There 2 early positions in a table of 10 players. In this position you are at a great disadvantage to other players due to not enough information on the table. It’s always best to be tight in this position and raise with only good hands such as AA, KK, QQ, AK and fold anything else. Why? As you lack information on the other players and calling a lot of hands would risk you putting all your chips into the pot. Always raise.

Middle Position.
There are 3 middle positions in a 10 player table. In middle position you will have some knowledge on the other players.

It’s always best to play at least semi loose but still be cautious as there are still other players waiting in line. Hands that can be played in this position are 88 to AA and suited connector cards like 89 diamonds. Be sure to know when you’re beat at the flop and fold your hand. Re-raise only if you think you have the best hand.

Late Position.
Usually this position is the most advantageous. Why? As you have maximum information on the other players. It is possible to play many cards in this position if the pot hasn’t been raised.

Call with unsuited or suited connectors, suited cards, small pairs like 22, 33, 44 and practically any card as long as you know what the other players are like. This is where bluffs are likely to be successful.

For a great free poker lesson on playable cards and position see the D M Vadnais series, “Building Your Bankroll” also on NoPayPOKER, it’s brilliant.

Unsure how to apply these skills? Don’t lose money learning, practice and learn first on micro or free poker online sites such as…NoPayPOKER!

And what better place to play free poker that at http://www.NoPayPOKER.com where you don’t have the fear of taking a loss like you do at on money sites or live tables yet you can still win actual money.

This free poker online article looks at the tricky area of split pots.

A split pot is a pot where two (or more) players have identical five-card hands at the showdown. For example, in a board with 8-9-10-Q-2 both players have a Jack meaning both have a Queen-high straight, therefore, they split.

Or if both players use the board cards as their 5 card hands, for example, if the board is A,K,Q,J,10 where one player has 9,9 and the other Q,J.

Which ones will win? Both. They use the board cards as their hand; both of them have a Broadway Straight, so they split the pot.

The majority of players think they have to use at least 1 card from their hand to make their final hand. In the above example, the player with 9-9 might think that his straight is King-high, when actually it is Ace-high.

The other player, assuming no flush possibilities, might go all in. This action could scare player 1 into folding. Don’t do it! You both have nuts hands.

Some Straights on the Board are a little bit more suspicious. Like 4-5-6-7-8. Someone bets substantially and now it’s up to you whether you call or not, or even raise. Just keep in mind that a Nine can finish you or your opponent.

In this case, you want to represent the Nine. When? If the Board is 6-7-5-4-8, in the order in which they fell? What if it is 4-5-7-6-8? 8-7-5-6-4 or 4-5-8-7-6? On which Board do you think your opponent will be most inclined to represent the Nine so you can fold without remorse? It’s important to be as analytic as possible here.

If a board is say 9-9-8-8-8, what then? It’s a Full House. Both players already have the Full House. Say you have Q-10 and you follow to the river. Then in a jolt your opponent bets enough to put you all-in. Do you call?

It’s possible that he’s bluffing you with, say, J-10; you both still have the same hand. He may just have the last 8, but if so then he really should have folded since you bet the Flop and the Turn.

Then, with unmistakable confidence, (easy in free poker online maybe) you overtly declare, “I play the Board, I call.” If you did, then you?re the 1997 World Series of Poker runner-up, Kevin McBride, who lost to J-9. The winner? Scotty Nguyen (baby, baby, baby). You have Eights full, baby. Scotty had Nines full (9-9-9-8-8).

With the Broadway Straight (with no flush) it is appropriate to call the all-in, and it is a sign of a smart player to do so. (Don?t call yourself smart if you held the 9-9 and you folded.)

But with the above Full House on the board just determine all possible hands that can beat you: a lone Nine or the last Eight. Surely if you have many more chips, just stack them and wait for some more hands.

But read the board well, don’t be psyched out by the chatter of the other player. During the interview after the heads-up match, McBride admitted that he called because of what Scotty said to him after Scotty pushed him all-in: “If you call it’ll be over baby”.

In some boards, such as A-K-2-2-7, if you have an Ace and your opponent bets substantially on the river, you can well put him on the Ace (but not A-K or A-2) and call him, even though you know you can’t win. You just split the pot.

If he bets heavily, forcing you to make the hard decision, you might as well fold. Why hope for a tie when you can win later?

Split pots is a tricky area no doubt about it, I hope this made sense! If it seems hard then my best suggestion to you is to go and practice lots and play poker online for free then when you play for money all that free poker games experience will allow you to play with a greater degree of confidence.

In this free online poker guide you’ll learn about applying the KISS concept in poker. Normally this means “keep It Simple Stupid” but in poker there are 2 more very relevant meanings.

First, how about Keeping It Simple (Against) Stupid Players? Secondly, Keep It Simple and Straightforward if you’re up against not so stupid players!

On free poker games sites such as NoPayPOKER you’ll come up against both types though maybe a few more of the less clever ones than you’ll find at say a $500 buy in table in Vegas!

For example, with A-10 in hand would you have the courage to play against a clearly good player with the flop showing A-8-3? No problem if it’s a free poker game but what if it’s a really big game with a lot of money on the table?

Your options are to simply call again and again or you might bet and pray he does not play strong. Why? Since he is a good player, you might put him on A-K, or an Ace with a better kicker. Then should he go all-in, you will know what to do. Scamper, and wait until you have the A-K, or maybe a Set.

Here you will have to consider the following. Has he really got A-K? Or just J-J with which he is willing to take to showdown but is not so willing to call a large raise with? Or maybe it is 8-7, since he reckons my bet on the Flop is simply a continuation bet so he will call?

The biggets problem is that 5 or 6 weak or dumb players, you might have to ask these questions for each one of them! Does he really have ?-? (for Player 1). Does he really have ?-? (for Player two) ? Or just ?-? (for Player three)? and on and on until your brain is fried and you get nailed by someone holding A-8.

Let us look at another situation now, with a Board of 5-6-J-Q-8.
You have K-Q. A strong player probably has A-Q or K-K, or J-10, or something special, like 7-4 (usually suited). You might as well fold your K-Q at the end, or just call a small bet at the river. But at least you can put your strong opponent into a hand or into a few hands.

But with 5 or 6 poorer players you must be careful. They may have the hands above, but because they’re weak, there will be more add-ons, like 8-5, J-5, Q-8, or even Q-5, all of which will add to the possibility of your K-Q being beaten.

In such a case why not call a small bet at the river (because with many callers you are getting good pot odds to make the call). Then if one of them goes all-in, it’s a strong signal. Fold that K-Q. What hand might they be moving all-in with? With a strong player you may have an idea. But with a weak player, you don’t.

Why go to war if you don’t know what you are trying to beat?

A strong player is willing to play more stronger hands than weaker ones. He is willing to play A-K more often than A-8 in his life, although frequency of play is no clue to how he plays specific hands. He remains unpredictable. But you will expect him to fold A-8 more often than A-K.

But weak players don’t know what hands they are playing. They will play J-5 as readily as A-K. So, when playing with them, because you can’t put them into a hand because they don’t even know theirs, just show them a good enough hand. A Two-Pair or higher, more desirably. In the A-10 example above, you’ll be happy with 3-3. In the second, I wish you have the 7-4 or the 10-9 before you act rashly.

And, unless you are just messing about in a free poker games don’t attempt any fancy manoeuvres like all-in bluffs.

In the 5-6-J-Q-8 Board, don’t move all-in with A-K. Even with just two weak opponents, they will just readily call you with K-Q as much as with 6-4, J-9, or even 3-3. They don’t know the difference between them.

If they have something, they will be willing to take it along to death. So make your something stronger than their something, and take it to their death instead. No bluffs. No calling of suspected bluffs.

So remember to KISS! Keep it Simple or Straightforward against good players and Keep it Simple against Stupid Players!

And what better place to play poker online for free than at http://www.NoPayPOKER.com where you don’t have the fear of losing money like you do at on money sites or live tables yet you can still win real cash.

Plus the NoPayPOKER blog contains a huge pro written free poker games training series, with lessons from basic how to play poker for beginners courses to masters level. Complete the intermediate level course at least and you will find yourself in the top 10% of online poker players worldwide.

One fact the majority of free online poker at NoPayPOKER.com and low stakes players do not realize is that there are different poker strategies for each type of game. In this free online poker article a successful free online poker player who started as a beginner, reveals how he figured how to win both small stakes and free online poker consistently by recognizing and taking advantage of these factors.

To start. On free online poker sites you’ll soon realize that there are more aggressive players than in money stakes games. You will also see many more moves all in pre-flop and crazy bluffs in free online poker.

It’s no mystery why this is. At the start of a free online poker freeroll, a player has no time or money at risk. The thinking is simple. If you can hit a big pot early, it gives you leverage later on as your chip stack gets larger.

If I lose, no problem. There’s another free game around the corner. So the player has no time or money invested so can afford to play silly in the hope of grabbing a pot early on.

The key to winning in this type of game is to survive the feeding frenzy at the beginning. If you can get through to the middle part and beyond then skill and strategy can come into play and make the difference.

Quite simply aim to preserve your stack and fold unless you have a very (very) good hand.

When everyone left has time invested in the tournament most settle into a more sane approach. Things like position at the table, reading the players, and exploiting hand strength become easier to manage. It’s also a great time for beginners to learn how to play poker better and start to really learn the nuances of the game.

Once you’ve learned a little bit about poker in free poker games and you are consistent but frustrated at having to wade through the craziness in the beginning of free online poker games and freerolls then its time to take the plunge into cash tournaments.

When you make the choice to go to cash tournaments, start small. Never go into a cash tournament that you can’t afford to lose. If you start small in cash tournaments you’ll find a lot more players closer to your level of play. You will also find players with more advanced skills than you currently have.

This is good because playing against them, if you approach it the right way, helps you learn things to improve your play that books and articles don’t or can’t always teach you.

But here’s the biggie.
You’ll learn a lot more about how to play the beginning of a tournament in cash tournaments.

You learn how to build your chip stack through methods that you learn and start to recognize your own strengths and weaknesses.

Don’t get me wrong, there are always players, even in cash games, that do those crazy things at the start of the tournament like all in before the flop and so on. But, in my opinion, they are fewer and farther between. The good thing is you can usually isolate them and let them burn themselves out.

Finally, I will always play free poker. It’s fun and a little more laid back. But I also like playing cash tournaments because it presents a different challenge. As long as people play within themselves, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy both.

To practice your mental game or indeed any aspect of your poker game and new poker ideas though no pressure or danger of money loss go play free online poker games at http://www.NoPayPOKER.com

The poker at US legal NoPayPOKER is truly free and you get a bankroll full of the Dollar convertible site currency when you join so you can start to play poker online for free right away.

For the full free online poker lesson series on how to play free online poker and for a great how to play poker for beginners course see the lesson series by D M Vadnais on the NoPayPOKER blog. His “Building a Bankroll” series specifically discusses how to dominate free poker games kill off the lunatic players! Go to the NoPayPOKER.com blog at http://www.nopaypoker.com/articles and learn today.

This online poker free article is about a technique I call the Shuffle and Breathe that is a superb method that you can use immediately to win more at poker. This technique isn’t a game tactic as such, instead it is a mental approach based on Tai Chi and meditation.

The Shuffle Up and Breathe technique is not designed to teach you the game of poker, the strategies or its etiquette. It’s designed to help you realize the poker skills you already have and develop the discipline to use them wisely.

Let’s start with what the technique does:

First , it’s important to note that having the greatest poker skills in the world will do you very little good if you don’t have access to them. When the mind or emotions take over, you’re locked out – you become purely a reactionary player.

The technique, described later, is used for balancing and controlling thought and emotion.

The connection of mind, body and breath.
It is a fact that the mind always follows the breath. When you have a busy mind, you’re breath is laboured. When your thoughts begin to slow, you regain control of your emotions and most importantly, your game.

That’s why you can use the “Shuffle up and breathe” technique to:

- Focus on the breath
- Calm the mind
- You do it before, during and after every game.

The technique will help you practice being in the present moment.
Not the past or future, but right now! That’s really truly being in the zone.

Use it to reduce stress
A lot of life is stressful, but add to it having thousands of dollars at stake and you can end up tired and ill. You can reduce that stress to a level you can always handle by using this technique. You’ll feel better and you’ll play better.

Self observation equals self control. By using this simple breathing technique, you’ll become better at discovering your tells and those of others, controlling emotions, developing discipline and time and money management

All of these skills can be used at the poker table, in the office or in any meeting. Learning to stay balanced is the key to success in all areas of life, especially in poker. Consistent use of this breathing technique will result in a clearer mind that makes clearer choices and better math and moves with a great reduction in error.

So what is this amazing technique?
It’s simple. Focus on the tip of your nose and follow your breath with all your attention. All the way in and all the way out again. You will even feel the friction of the air as it goes in and out.

It’s that easy. Your mind will follow the breath and begin to instantly calm. Use this technique before, during and after every game.

Personally, I use it every time I am dealt a hand. If you practice this technique every day and you will find a dramatic increase in your skills and in the quality of your like.

Good players define Luck as the point at which skill meets opportunity. Be ready for it! Just remember to Shuffle up and Breathe.

To practice your mental game or indeed any aspect of your poker game and new poker ideas though no pressure or danger of cash loss go play online poker free games at http://www.NoPayPOKER.com

Plus the NoPayPOKER blog contains a huge poker training series, pro written lessons from basic how to play poker for beginners courses to master. Join today and you will get a free bankroll and can get playing online poker free immediately.

The poker at US legal NoPayPOKER is truly free and you get a bankroll full of the Dollar convertible site currency when you join so you can start to play online poker free right away.

Most poker players, free poker games in particular, don’t like the “technical” parts of poker like odds. After all doing odds means doing math and many of us prefer not to go there!

Sadly it’s a fact that to succeed in poker this is a key part of the game that you need to master, especially if you have any aspirations to play live money games.

The biggest problem is that the formula for doing odds is pretty complex and to do it in your head on the fly under pressure you do need to be pretty hot at math.

As an example ,:

Lets say you hold 8-7 and the Flop is 5-6-A. You want to know your odds on hitting a Straight later.

Should you use a rigorous mathematical solution, you will construct this horror:

You need certain cards to help you do this – Known as “outs” In this case for a straight you need 4 and 9. There are upto 8 such cards left in the deck. The probability of your hitting them later is P (1-P)Q, where P is the probability of hitting your hand on the Turn, and Q is the probability you will hit on the river. It is P (1-P)Q because (1-P)Q is the probability that you will hit on the river if you don’t complete your hand on the Turn.

Now here are the values for P and Q.

- P = 8 cards still on the deck that will help you divided by 52-5 = 47 remaining cards = 8/47.
- Q = 8 cards still on the deck that will help you, as you didn’t complete on the Turn divided by 52-6 (because there are six cards already out, your hole cards and the Board) = 8/46.

The complete answer is 8/47 (1 – 8/47)(8/46) = .170 (.829)(.174) = .170 .144 = .314 = 31%. You’ve got a 31% chance of hitting your Straight later.

Ouch, that’s fun and beyond most of us! However, in a table you usually do not have a calculator (and even if you do you still need to know what to input into it .

And many poker players just understand the outs, but not really much of basic probability theory. How is this? An out by the way is any unseen card that, if drawn, will help your hand win chances.

Here then is a much simpler, easy way to work out odds

Let’s try an approximation formula:

- You divide 8 by 50, because 47 is close to 50, and get 16.

- Double it again and you get .32.

- It is a reliable estimate.

- After all, poker players, in games, do not need exact solutions; they need only a hint as to where they’re standing.

- In this case “about 32%” is an efficient enough answer.

So, in the Flop, here is the approximation:

- Get the amount of your outs, then multiply it by 4, then affix a percent sign.

- This is a reliable approximation percentage of your hitting the hand.

- During the Turn, if you still have outs, multiply it by 2, then affix a percent sign.

- Preflop, when you decide to push all-in, you typically need not do this as you will rely mainly on pure hand strength.

To practice your odds calculations there can be no better way than to play poker online free on http://www.NoPayPOKER.com, at least here you can get it wrong and not lose money as a result! Yes, you can always use odds calculators and many are available for online poker but if you want to play live you need to learn to do it the hard way, so get learning if you have any ambition to move beyond free poker games and win serious cash!

Position is your seat in a poker table relative to other players. Be it free poker games or a cash event, your position defines when you make your move in the hand being played. In normal game of 9-12 players, in any given hand round of betting, it works like this:

(1) Early position consists of the first 3 or 4 players to act.

(2) Middle position includes the following player after early position to the player before late position.

(3) Late position consists of the last three or four players to act. Preflop, the dealer, the small blind, and the big blind are last to act, in that order.

Postflop, the small blind and the big blind are first to act, and the dealer is last to act.

How does position matter?

There are some very definite advantages and disadvantages. The majority of players prefer playing late position. Briefly, it is because you are given more information to work with in late position.

If you are in late position, the actions of the players in early position are added information to you. But the player in early position do not have the benefit of information derived from your actions.

Because of this most players (especially good players) do not like letting go of their button (dealer button) unless they have absolute trash. They call a little raise with any decent hand like 9-7 or A-5 (but not extremely big raises, of course).

In early position, in a nine-handed game, suppose you have got Q-J, a marginal hand, under the gun (the first person to act preflop).

Do you raise? There are still eight players after you to act, and you will see a better chance that they’ll have better hands than you. (A-x will have you beat). So fold.

In middle position, you may call one raise, or you can raise; you’re indifferent.

With the button, you raise if no one has acted prior to you (you can steal the blinds this way). Or call if someone else raised small (since you have position).

With the blinds, you call (since it is discounted) but you should be careful with postflop play since you are out of position postflop. Or you can also reraise a raise if you believe the raiser was weak (raising with junk is prevalent in good players in late position who want to steal the blinds habitually).

Position also matters a lot when playing with players who have a fixed style.

- It is a good idea to act before a rock in order to bluff him easier.

- It is preferable to act after a loose-aggressive chip flinger so you can raise him if you hit the Flop hard or if you have A-A, then expect a rereaise and then you can move all-in.

- Against a calling station, it does not matter where you sit – just bet if you have a hand and then expect a call.

As for the really good players, your ideal position should be outside the poker table. Don’t tangle with them. If you do get caught in a game with better players try to play unpredictably and make the best of your times in late position.

This isn’t so much about table position now, it’s more to do with your entire poker strategy approach so I won’t go into depth on it here. Don’t play above your skill level except when deliberately practising with money you have set aside to lose or better still on free poker games tables such as the NoPayPOKER ones.

Have a look at the free poker games tactics series from D M Vadnais for a whole lot more depth on the areas such as choosing your battles and climbing skill levels. If you are a beginner start with the how to play poker for beginners 101 course and if ready to move on check out Building a Bankroll which aims to propel to to advanced intermediate level (where you will start to win a ton of cash should you wish)

It is a sad fact, it is not possible to be great at everything. In poker be it the win a lot of pennies free poker type or big cash it is why people become experts or specialists in their particular games.

It is the same as in the “normal” world where in our professions and hobbies and business we aim to find our niche and focus our efforts on becoming as good as we can so that we get promoted and earn more money.

So how does this relate specifically to the world of poker games?

Simply this, some people are great cash game players, while others are great tournament players. There are some players who are very good at both cash games and poker tournaments but this is very rare.

Most players specialize because they are more successful at one than the other.

How do you determine whether cash games or tournaments are your speciality? It might not be that clear at first. Of course you need to play plenty of both types, and while you do here are some factors to look for to help you decide once and for all.

Should You Focus On Cash Games?
If you’re a patient player who looks to play only in clear +EV situations, then you may prefer cash games. Full-ring games are all about waiting for premium starting hands and extracting the most value from them in the most favourable situation possible. Thus, cash games are good for players who don’t deal with variance very well.

The biggest mistake a beginning cash game player can make is playing too many hands. You don’t want to commit too many chips in marginal situations.

The opposite can seem to be true in the late to middle stages of a tournament.

Should You Focus On Poker Tournaments
It is correct to play tight in the early stages of a tournament, but once the blinds start to escalate you’ll need to loosen up your starting requirements. Once you’re low on chips, you’ll need to look to move all-in to survive. You may also need to put yourself in situations that may –EV in certain occasions. If you’re one of the big stacks, it’s also correct to start playing looser to bully the other players. It’s all about accumulating chips to either survive or thrive in tournaments. It’s not for the faint of heart or those who can’t deal with variance.

The biggest mistake a beginning tournament player can make is not pushing all-in enough when they get low on chips. Because the price of blinds increase as the tournament goes on, your chip stack can easily get whittled away.

Tight players can’t win tournaments.

Poker Game Specialization Conclusion
If tight is right for you, you would be best served to focus on playing cash games. However, if you’re an action junkie, you should consider concentrating on tournaments. With that said, it is possible for tight styles to work in tournaments with a few adjustments, and a loose style can work in cash games can work under certain circumstances.

Ideally do your testing in free online poker that way you can learn to play poker for free and find your style while not losing lots of money in the process!

To read more articles like this and learn to play poker online free check out NoPayPOKER.com’s blog which is full of play free poker on line tutorials and offers a fantastic zero risk free poker site where you can put theory into practice.

I can imagine a free poker player on http://www.NoPayPOKER.com who, after watching some episodes of the World Series of Poker or the World Poker Tour, suddenly gets ‘inspired’ and tries out one of the big advertised poker sites. Suddenly – suddenly – as he imitates the plays he saw in some episode, like moving all-in with 4-4 in early position – he thinks he is making a good play. Of course it is sometimes a good play, but not always.

In most cases our newly enthused free online poker player will proceed to lose a lot of money in a short period of time to the money site sharks.

Instead may I suggest that the best thing to do is to practice these “pro” plays on free online poker, so that mistakes can be learned from? He can play free poker games get knocked out, learn from it and still have hundreds of dollars left.

Play Free Poker Games can be a brilliant way to build a bankroll too, most sites tend to pay pennies but if you play long enough it can really add up nicely. And if you play long enough you will learn from your mistakes and from the mistakes of others – and it wouldn’t be so costly. You can try those crazy things you see on TV, play that Q-7 offsuit and then flop a Q-5-3 and then get called by A-Q later or K-K…then you learn that actually Q-7 is rubbish and should never be played unless you are a pro with a very specific reason for doing so.

Of course, you can watch someone else play the Q-7. He may flop Q-5-3, as above, or even A-J-7. Now you know you have him, because you have K-K (in the first flop) or A-K, or J-J (in the second). Now you remember the times when you win, and when you recall these times every time a similar situation arises, you will win the pot. If you play free poker long enough you will see what these situations are and then be able to characterize them like this: On the first flop, it may be ‘Playing Overpairs’; on the second, it may be ‘Playing Top Pair’ or ‘Playing a Set’.

There is, however, a downfall if you are not careful: Suppose you play 3-2 off and you win. You might think 3-2 off is a good hand, and then suddenly you rush to play real money poker. You lose. You think, “How would 3-2 be harpooned in this board! This just won last week!”

If you are observant enough for a long time in playing free online poker you might notice plenty of players doing the same (playing bad hands) and they win. You can watch if they are winning consistently or not, and oftentimes they don’t. Someone plays 7-2, the wins; someone plays it again later, then loses.When you play free poker games it may not yet teach you that A-10 is sometimes dangerous to play after a raise because it might be a better Ace, but it teaches you what hands to avoid and what to play.

In free online poker you just don’t play any hand. You must play as if it is really big money at stake. Play only good hands as if your big money bankroll depended on it. If you keep playing bad starting hands without the ability to represent them (and representing hands is not so practical in free poker because many free poker players play just any hand, bet when they hit the Flop and throw when they don’t) you will be a bad player sooner.

Regarding this, here is another point, indeed this is the key point that will win you a lot of money:

Most free online poker players are beginners or reckless fun seekers so when you take the time to master free poker then you will know how to blast them into orbit

Next, you will find when you move on to lower stakes real money you will mostly be facing these very same type of novice and maniac who have watched too much TV, and what do you think will happen then?

That’s right, your hard earned free poker skills will trash them and they will “donate” their stacks to you time and time again!. And as for the really good players, it’s so easy – avoid them unless you have the nuts.

This article brought to you by NoPayPOKER. The world’s only free poker where you win real cash on every game. NoPayPOKER.com is the ideal place for new poker players to learn to play poker for free without risking any money at all. Experienced poker players can test out new techniques and rack up lots of free online poker cash!

Improving your playing skills will definitely help to increase your poker profits, but so will choosing the right free poker games to play. There is an old poker story about a professional who was the 6th best player in the world, but he never made a penny. The reason for this was because he would only ever play against the top 5 players in the world. The moral of the story is that you make money when you possess a clear edge over your opponents.

Don’t be overconfident:

Everyone wants to be the best and play the best. It’s a matter of pride. However, unless your name is Phil Ivey, you probably won’t have an advantage over every opponent in every game. It’s also important to recognize that even the top poker pros will sometimes step down a level and play lesser competition because it’s more profitable.

Whatever type of game you are playing, whether it is at a live table or playing other players online, don’t try to head for tables with players who are far better than you are. You are just going to throw away your money.

I remember one time when I played for a couple hours in a $1/2 no-limit hold’em game at a small casino in Palm Springs, California. I nearly doubled my money without winning a single big pot. The players were passive and loose, and I ran them over by putting pressure on them with big bets and getting paid off for reasonably strong hands. I knew that I picked the right table.

I also remember one time when I played for five hours in a $1/2 no-limit hold’em game at a five-star hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. I barely broke even. The players were tight and aggressive and played back at me when I tried to put a move on them. I knew afterward that I picked the wrong table.

What kind of game to look for:

When thinking what table to head for you need to think about your bankroll. Never head for a table where you cant afford to play. Head for a more affordable poker table or even some free poker.

The second thing that you must be honest about is your skill level. You should ask: Can I beat the level that I’m playing? If the answer is “no,” then you should move down.

After being brutally honest with yourself about bankroll and your skill level, you then need to think about which table you want to sit at. Ideally, you want to play at a table where you see players making a lot of fundamental errors like playing too many hands or playing too passively. A loose and passive table is probably the most profitable table. A loose game will allow you to win big pots because players will call you down with weak hands, and a passive game affords you the opportunity to hit your draws cheaply and bully your opposition.

You won’t always be able to find a ridiculously loose and passive table. However, with a bit of observation, you can probably figure out how beatable a game is before you sit down. It’s good to be a good player, but being a money-making good player requires skill in the fine art of game selection.

So, whether its pay games or free poker, live games or online games, observation and brutal honesty is what is going to make you profit in the long term.