Whatever type of poker you are playing, maybe its free online poker, pay poker or poker with friends, there are two types of players when sitting at a Texas Holdem table, the ones who play the cards and the others who play the player. How does one decide what is the best style of play? In my experience, it really comes down to both, playing the player and the cards.

I spent many years trying to perfect my game and working out the percentages of the hands and outs, etc. I would say that it benefited me, but not as greatly as I would have liked. What I did not factor in, was the style of play by others. Playing the player is a strategy that should not be overlooked.

Most poker players tend to play any hand given to them, sometimes they can win with a rubbish hand by bluffing and other times they can get a decent hand and win with that. At the end of the day, pretty much any set of cards can win a hand.

So, how do you beat other players? Well, the answer is simple… watch your opponent before you take them on at a table. Spend time watching their style, when they bet, how much, do they reraise often. This can be quite time consuming but can be very educational and helpful when you are ready to sit and play against them.

So, is this going to make you win? Not all of the time, no. You are still playing poker and its all about luck and skill at the end of the day. Regardless of how good you are at poker, you are never going to win every single game you play. However, by taking on this strategy of watching your opponents before you play them, you are much more likely to win more hands than you otherwise would have. You may not win every hand or every time, but you will win more than just playing your cards.

Good luck with these tips and I hope to see you at the free online poker tables soon!