3 Steps of How to Avoid Mediocre Hands

At the beginning of my poker career, there was a time when I felt like I was a champion at No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker. I had what they called a beginners luck. Games like Zynga Poker got me in the zone to call every single hand that looked good. Something like 9-7s or Q-10s. But I knew nothing about betting positions, hand ranges, and outs at the time. I was calling every single flop with two cards that looked good. 

That is when someone at the table will call you a fish or the most famous "Donkey." Those terms at the time I knew nothing about. Well, that's when I began to realize that I was either or when I calculated my losses.

So I am going to show you 5 steps of how to avoid mediocre hands at any given game. Especially if you are looking to go far with your poker career.

1) Avoid Calling Too Many Hands

If you noticed at the poker rooms why some of the same players always walk out with more than a $1,000k a day. That is because they understand their best friend, and her name is "Patience." Without patience, you will see yourself in a rollercoaster situation, and if you are not too careful you can end up busting out without a bankroll. Wait for Hands like high pocket pairs from A-As to 10-10s and High Suited Connectors like A-Ks to A-10s. Believe me.... At one time I wasn't too careful and got Broadway by the player on the button while I flopped a straight to the King with 9-10 off suit.

2) Set an Hourly Goal

If you are looking for ways to get ahead, think about setting an hourly rate at the poker table. Let's say you are playing a $2-$4 limit cash game at a buy-in for $20 and your goal is to stay for at least 4 hours... well the average pot of $2-$4 limit is $16 you need to get in the mindset that you need to make $16 per hour. $16*4hrs is $64. And if you can to do that for 5 days you just made an easy $320 for the week. Always remember that bankroll management is key to winning at poker, and don't focus on the high-rollers.

3) Know your Players at The Tables

This part is crucial because I come across a lot of players who believes they're professional poker players, and end up losing their bankroll to serious professional players who understands outs, position betting, and player styles. Let's say you are at a table that is aggressive, well then you want to play passively. And let's say you are at a table with passive players, well then you want to play aggressively. But what if someone is on tilt after losing a lot of big pots, well you want to choose your hands wisely, and you will get caught in the ring of fire. 

Poker is a lot of fun, but it can become very emotional if you are not too careful with your strategy, and without patience, you can end up losing it all. Let me know what you think of this article. And feel free to leave a feedback.