Play Poker Better: Odds, Strategies and How to Master the Art of Bluffing

Poker is a game of skill, strategy, and calculated risks. Whether you’re playing casually with friends or in a competitive setting, improving your understanding of odds, strategies, and bluffing can give you a significant edge.

This article breaks down the key elements to help you play poker better and more confidently. We’ll explore how odds influence your decisions, the strategies that experienced players rely on, and the art of bluffing—when to use it and when to avoid it.

By mastering these basics, you can approach the table with a clear plan and a better chance of success.

But first, let’s walk through the different types of poker available to you if you want to try something different.

Getting bored with the conventional versions we know and love is understandable, so it might be time to mix up your play style and dip your toe in new variants of a classic!

Types of Poker

Texas Hold’em

If you have never played a game of poker before, there is no better place to start than by playing some Texas Hold’em. This is the most widely played form of poker played on the planet for several reasons.

Firstly, its barrier to entry is extremely low, with even the most inexperienced of players able to pick up the general idea early on.

Secondly, like all good games, it is easy to pick but tricky to master. This keeps players coming back for more.

Finding it on an online poker site is easy and it is usually available to play with a low buy-in. Again, this makes it ideal for newer players.

Pot Limit Omaha

Once you have mastered Texas Hold’em, you are likely to get an appetite for more challenging forms of poker. One such option at this point is Pot Limit Omaha.

In of betting, there is very little difference between Omaha and Texas Hold’em. However, instead of drawing two cards at the start of the game, each player draws four. You must use two of these hole cards at showdown.

This makes Pot Limit Omaha a lot more tense, with far more secrecy at play and much more to consider.

Caribbean Stud Poker

Caribbean Stud Poker is unique on this list so far as instead of competing against other players, you take on the dealer. This makes it a rather intense affair, and games are over much quicker than other variants.

As the game proceeds, both the player and dealer are dealt five cards. If you manage to beat a dealer’s qualifying hand, you double your stake. If the dealer does not draw a qualifying bet, then your stake is returned to you.

As all of this is going on, it is possible for a progressive jackpot to build up as well. Winning this will land you a very impressive windfall.

Video Poker

If playing against real opponents seems a bit daunting, you should consider giving video poker a go. In this form of the game, you are competing against a machine that is equipped with a random number generator.

Video poker comes in various shapes and sizes but the most common type is a five-card draw. This is the simplest form of poker available.

Each player gets five cards of their own with no shared cards at all. This makes things very straightforward to understand as there are fewer cards in play.

Online Tournaments

Once you have mastered all the forms of poker above, you should be ready to enter an online tournament.

Every operator has its own tournaments, with the most famous including the PokerStars Sunday Million and the Monthly Whale tournaments hosted by 888 poker.

At the lower end of the spectrum, there are also plenty of options for those players looking for a modest buy-in and lower stakes.

You should not be intimidated by tournaments. Of course, everyone wants to win, but the online poker community is exceptionally welcoming, and you are bound to have an enjoyable time regardless.

Learning The Odds

Most people understand the very basics of how to play poker – end the hand with the best cards and win the pot.

But very few know what will increase their chances of winning at the poker table.

The American country and western singer Kenny Rogers had the right idea in the lyrics of his famous song, The Gambler. In it, the chorus recites: “You got to know when to hold’em, know when to fold’em.”

But how do you know when to fold your cards and wait for the next hand? Or when is the most profitable time to hold them and play on (an action that lends its name to the most popular poker variant, Texas Hold’em)?

The answer is maths. And while some people might worry they are terrible with numbers, you can pick up the basics by learning the odds.

There are whole books dedicated to winning strategies, but a simpler starting point is an easy guide to poker odds.

A Game Of Probabilities

Poker is a game of incomplete information. You know your own two cards, but you don’t know what your opponents’ two cards are.

You also don’t know what community cards will be dealt to everyone, cards with which you will try to make your poker hand.

Without this crucial information, you might ask yourself how you are supposed to understand the strength or otherwise of your hand.

The answer is in your number of “outs”. An out is a card that will help you make or improve your hand. Think of it as a get-out-of-jail card!

You are always looking for the best possible outcome that will improve your hand.

You might have two cards of the same suit, but you see two more of that suit on the flop and need just one more to make a flush.

Or you might have a hand like 8-10, and the flop has a 9 and a Jack. Now you need either a 7 or a Queen to draw to a straight.

But what are the odds of you making your hand? Let’s break it down.

Working Out The Odds

First, you must work out how many outs you have.

If you’re chasing a flush and you already have two of the same suit while two more are already out on the flop, that gives you a total of four.

With 13 of each suit in a standard 52-card deck, nine more cards out there could make your flush.

After the flop is dealt and before the turn card (the fourth community card), you multiply your number of outs by 4, giving you the approximate percentage chance that you will hit.

After the turn, you multiply the outs by 2.

Flush

After flop: Outs 9 x 4 = 36% chance you will hit
After the turn: Outs 9 x 2 = 18% chance of hitting

Now consider making a straight. In our earlier example, you have 8-10 on a 9-J-2 flop.

You need a 7 or a Q to complete a nicely disguised straight that would likely win you a big pot.

Four 7s and four Qs in the deck give you 8 possible outs. Use the same equation:

Straight

After the flop: Outs 8 x 4 = 32% chance of hitting
After the turn: Outs 8 x 2 = 16% chance of hitting

Of course, things are not always this simple. Many times, you will have a hand which has several possibilities.

Let’s say you have 10-J of spades, the flop comes 8-9-J, and the 8 and 9 are both spades.

This is a huge flop for you because you have made a top pair but can improve your hand to a three-of-a-kind, to two pairs, to a flush or to a straight.

Your outs are two jacks, three tens, nine spades, four sevens and four queens. One of each of the sevens and queens are spades, so you cannot double-count those.

But add the rest up, and you have 20 outs to improve your hand (which might be winning already with top pair)

After the flop: 20 x 4 = 80% chance of hitting
After the turn: 20 x 2 = 40% chance of hitting

However, in this scenario, you should tread carefully. Let’s say you hit a 10 on the turn, giving you two pairs.

While this has improved your hand, the chances are the board has now improved your opponent’s hand.

The board is now 8-9-10-J. If your opponent has a 7 or a Q, then you lose to a straight!

It’s up to you to pick through these potential wins and pitfalls, and before you know it, you could be on your way to winning the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas!

Other Probabilities

The other odds to learn, if you want to play poker better, is the probability of being dealt or flopping a particular hand.

Knowing how rare it is gives you a better idea of how likely you are to win the hand and how strongly you should bet.

Here are some key probabilities:

• Odds of being dealt a pocket pair: 5.9%
• Odds of being dealt suited connectors, 10 or better 3%
• Odds of flopping a royal flush: 1 in 19,600

Opponent Strategies

Poker is a captivating game where various elements influence the outcome. Understanding your opponent’s playstyle is crucial to gain an advantage.

Knowing how your opponents play and how to leverage that knowledge for your benefit is key to a winning strategy.

Playing Style

Focusing on the beginning of the game is an effective approach to identifying your opponent’s playing style.

Players are typically more logical and less emotionally involved at this stage, providing valuable insight.

While opponents may deviate from their initial strategy as emotions come into play, their early decisions can still reveal patterns that influence their later gameplay.

This principle holds even more true when playing on poker sites, as players usually stick to their plans. The virtual setting reduces emotional involvement compared to the intensity experienced in real-life poker games.

Aggressive Vs Safe

Players will use a variety of methods to play the game, although the two main categories that most will fall into are ‘aggressive’ playing and playing it ‘safe’.

If you can determine if your opponent plays aggressively or safely, you can easily predict how they will play later.

Someone with an aggressive style is likelier to make risky decisions, even when they are not the most logical.

By knowing this, you can deduce that even when they make big bets, they may not have anything backing their choice, meaning you can call them on their bluff.

On the other hand, if someone plays safe, you can almost guarantee that if they are confident and place a big bet, they will more often than not have something.

Also, when playing someone on the safe side, you can get away with playing a little more aggressively, as they are unlikely to call your bluff unless they actually have something good themselves.

Strategies for Different Types of Players

Aggressive Players:

If you to play better poker you have to stay calm and composed when facing aggressive players. Avoid getting intimidated by their betting patterns.

Use their aggressiveness against them by trapping them with strong hands or setting up bluffs.

Focus on playing strong hands against aggressive players and be cautious when calling their large bets.

Tight Players:

Take advantage of their cautious nature by bluffing more frequently and stealing pots.

Play more hands in position against tight players to exploit their predictable nature.

Avoid unnecessary confrontation with tight players unless you have a strong hand.

Loose Players:

Be selective with your starting hands and play tight-aggressive against loose players.

Value your strong hands and bet for value when you have them, as loose players tend to call with weaker hands.

Avoid bluffing excessively against loose players as they may call with weak holdings.

ive Players:

Take control of the betting by making larger bets and forcing ive players to make decisions.

Be cautious when ive players start betting or raising, as they usually have strong hands.

Exploit their reluctance to bet by bluffing more frequently and stealing pots.

Experienced Players:

Avoid playing predictable patterns and mix up your play to keep experienced players off balance.

Pay close attention to their bet sizing and timing to gather information about their hand strength.

Use deception and carefully timed bluffs to exploit their knowledge of the game.

Inexperienced Players:

Capitalize on their lack of knowledge by playing straightforward and value-betting your strong hands.

Avoid complex bluffs and focus on making solid hands instead.

Be patient and take advantage of their mistakes by playing a tight, disciplined game.

Emotional Players:

Stay composed and avoid engaging in emotional battles with volatile players.

Exploit their emotional decisions by playing more straightforward and value-betting strong hands.

Avoid bluffing against emotional players, who may call based on emotions rather than logic.

Tricky Players:

Be vigilant and pay close attention to their betting patterns and hand ranges.

Avoid falling into their traps by carefully considering their actions before making decisions.

Use pot control strategies and avoid over-committing to the pot without a strong hand.

Overall

Poker is a dynamic game, and players can exhibit multiple traits simultaneously.

Adapt your strategy based on the specific player and the dynamics at the table.

Continuous observation and adjustment are key to successfully navigating the complexities of poker.

If you know what you are doing, it can be quite easy to know your opponent’s next move.

Poker can easily bring out people’s emotions, making it hard for them to think and play logically, giving you insight into how their brain works.

Although there will always be games when you can’t grasp your opponent’s tactics, the strategies above should give you an edge.

The Art of Bluffing

Poker is not played in your hand but in your head. All anyone knows on the table is their own cards, which makes it difficult to have absolute confidence in the hand you’re holding.

There is no controlling the cards, but there is definitely a way to exert your influence on your fellow players: bluffing.

Having a good bluff is vital to winning at the online poker tables, as it induces folds from your fellow players when they, in fact, have better hands than you.

Frequency

Bluffing is a common tactic in all games, so the first thing to consider is the frequency with which you use the tactic.

Nobody will be fooled if you go in on every hand, regardless of its percentages. They will challenge you on your bluffs, forcing you to slink away with fewer chips.

However, it is also worth noting that bluffing too infrequently will indicate to players around you that you are only playing with strong hands. They will simply give you some hands because they know you will most likely win.

One way to stump your opponents is to assign a random agent to decide whether or not you bluff on your hand.

Let’s say you are dealt a weak hand and are unsure of whether or not to bluff or fold. Pick something random and out of your control to help you decide.

Use a clock or timer. If the minutes in the hour are at an even number, then bluff, but if it is odd, then do not. It would take a keen eye to spot a pattern like this.

The Pure Bluff

So, what is a Pure Bluff, or would you prefer a Stone Cold Bluff? This is high risk, and you better be good at bluffing to pull this one-off.

If you have a weak hand that’s unlikely to win, you’re taking a risk by hoping the other players fold instead of calling your bluff. This works better when fewer players are in the game.

The Semi Bluff

Ok, we have talked about the pure bluff when the hand you have has no chance of winning. So, a semi-bluff applies when your hand does have some potential to improve as the game progresses.

In other words, apply this in multiple betting rounds, knowing you will either fold or improve your hand well enough to take the pot.

When to Bluff

Bluffing is a skill that must be drawn upon carefully.

It is essential to follow some simple rules, and you will be on much safer ground than being caught out constantly and throwing all of your chips away.

Reduce the risk by bluffing with fewer players when making them fold.

Make sure that the pot odds are against the other players.

Observe the consistency in the way the player bets when a player is attempting to represent a superior hand when bluffing.

Look for when a player’s betting could suggest an average hand.

Check for if a player is betting with a drawing hand. They will be chasing for the draw if the pot odds are not in their favour.

Always make sure that your opponents are skilled enough to play your bluff also if their mind is not on the game 100%.