The absolute bottom line here is that players must base their decision as to what stakes they wish to consider on their bankroll. Never deviate from this general principle because it is the first step towards incurring irreparable losses that will lead to financial problems. The reason for this is that variance, the natural statistical cyclic “fortune” element in games of chance, will inevitably strike and when it does, those who have not properly planned out their approach to stakes will see their bankrolls quickly wiped out.

Exceeding five percent of a player’s bankroll is not advised no matter what game they are about to play. Those using this percentage each time they play will find that at no limit and pot limit tables they can still buy in with a maximum amount. In a limit game, players should be able to go twenty times the big bet. Exercising this level of discipline while playing will gradually build up a player’s bankroll over time, statistically speaking. This means that larger stakes are played naturally as that bankroll increases so that a player grows in skill without risking too much money at any given time.

Generally, a blocking bet is made on the river as a means of blocking one’s opponent. This means that you want to make the bet when you are out of position and not the last one acting. Properly used, a blocking bet makes money by ensuring that the person using it loses less than they would have otherwise. As an example if a player bets twenty five percent of the pot on the river and another player at the table who has a better hand simply calls then the player placing the blocking bet saves money by blocking the opponent from betting, for example, fifty percent of the pot. Not only does a blocking bet help reduce the likelihood that others at the table will bluff, it can lead to a show down where less is at stake. If a player simply checks, this suggests weakness and tends to trigger bluffs.

Since betting is viewed as an indicator of the strength of the betting player’s hand, most players are not going to bluff against it unless they genuinely possess a strong hand themselves. A blocking bet is not a smart move for those players who actually do hold a strong hand. The blocking bet is more for hands that the player already knows will not do all that well in play. The best hands for the purposes of this type of bet would be higher value pairs that also have a decent kicker.

The concept of the blocking bet boils down to a twofold point: foil your opponent psychologically and decrease your losses in the event that your hand does not win.

In terms of games, online poker is clearly not the same as the tournaments seen on television these days. While Texas Hold’em remains the most popular game online, it is definitely not the only one available. Omaha, 5 Card Draw, Badugi, Crazy Pineapple, Stud High, Razz and even mixed games like HORSE. The key aspect in choosing the right game is monitoring your experience. When you are playing, keep records of your wins and losses, a simple spreadsheet works well for this task. By tracking your results over time you will see patterns emerge. Nearly all players have games in which they are more talented and also games where they are losing money. A solid strategy in your poker endeavors means choosing the games that you are most likely to win every time and focusing your skill improvements in those areas. By keeping even the most basic statistics, you will know where to play and you can build your bankroll based on this knowledge. This is one of the ways by which the pros are separated from the rank amateurs.

For the most part, there are certain stages of thinking that players exhibit so learning to recognize these stages of thinking greatly sharpens one’s ability to gain insight into any given player. These stages can be summed up in a relatively simple format:
Stage One – The player considers what the hand they hold is capable of and they base their decisions in play around this knowledge. Novice players who are new to the game think this way.

Stage Two – The player considers not only their own hand, but the hand that others at the table might have. These players are making more complex decisions during play and must be monitored for a wider variety of cues.

Stage Three – The player considers their own hand, the potential hands of others at the table, and what kind of hand the others at the table might think they the player holds. This level of complexity brings with it far more propensity for bluffing and other human oriented strategizing. These players may not be the alphas in the food chain, but they are right up there.

Stage Four and Beyond – These players consider everything that players in Stage Three consider, plus they add in what the others think of the potential hand that they hold. This is where things get tricky and from here on out it takes experience to gain an edge.

The best way to understand the opponents played against most regularly is by keeping notes. Don’t be afraid to jot down some details about those who are regular rivals. Using this as a resource, a serious player can up the odds that they will win by having a totally free strategic weapon at the table.

Despite the fact that each player is dealt four hole cards, the need to play tightly is crucial. Too many players justify seeing flops simply because it is easy to make a case for either a high or a low hand in every hand dealt. This mistaken approach comes from the fact that the majority of poker players online are primarily familiar with Teaxas Hold’em and so they see those four cards to choose from prior to the flop and forget that everyone at the table has four cards, as well. This, coupled with the fact that there are both high and low pots to try to win seems to lead players to the mistaken impression that they have a much higher probability of winning with any given hand than they actually do. This thinking can lead to trouble because the fact is the odds of finding a flop are the same in Omaha as they are in Texas Hold’em. It is all poker, after all, and the statistics of random numbers don’t change to favor certain games.

Players who are too loose are going to focus on winning the low pot more than they should and justify that attempt by explaining that it could be half of the pot since the high winner always takes half the pot. The problem with this theory is that the low pot often gets shared. By playing too loose and focusing on the low pot instead of keeping one’s eyes on the prize, opportunities can be lost to actually win the high pot.