If you had to start learning poker from the very beginning, what would you focus on?

Veralt

Veralt

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Dec 15, 2023
Total posts
187
Awards
1
AR
Poker Chips
211
Casino Coins
0
  • #1
What do you think is the most important thing when starting out?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vallet, felixmaker, ninocabral and 3 others
pentazepam

pentazepam

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Oct 31, 2008
Total posts
3,149
Awards
4
Poker Chips
1,145
Casino Coins
0
  • #2
Move up quicker (and also move down quicker).

I was too conservative in my bankroll approach online and should have played much higher when the games were good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: felixmaker, Veralt and Poker Orifice
rsparente

rsparente

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Dec 4, 2022
Total posts
437
Awards
1
BR
Poker Chips
709
Casino Coins
0
  • #3
Preflop charts, unfortunately, being it boring as it is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: felixmaker
Mag_P1e

Mag_P1e

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Sep 27, 2022
Total posts
372
Awards
1
UA
Poker Chips
743
Casino Coins
0
  • #4
Definitely preflop charts + the concept of outs and pot chances to avoid the pointless search for a straight/flush on the river, etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: felixmaker and Veralt
Funtast

Funtast

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 26, 2023
Total posts
346
Awards
3
DE
Poker Chips
68
Casino Coins
0
  • #5
Veralt said:
What do you think is the most important thing when starting out?
Obviously it is learning the rules of poker.
- Card Rankings, from deuce up to ace where ace can also be a "one" for a wheel.
- Number of cards, 13 for each colour making it 52 cards in total.
- Hand Rankings, from "Highcard" up to "Royal flush"
- That always the best five cards count, there could be used zero,
one or two of the cards in your hand plus the community cards to make the best five.
- The meaning of the dealer button and the smallblind and bigblind
- How the rounds of betting are executed, preflop, flop, turn, river.
- The chance to bet as much as you want everytime the action is on you.
....

Very basic concepts:
- "Premium hands" vs "Good Hands" vs "Drawing Hands" vs "Trash" with a reminder that 40%-80% depending on position is trash.
- Good Draws(OE-Straight- and Flush Draws) vs Bad Draws (Just one or two overcards, Gutshots with no overcards)
- Positional awareness ...
- Stealing from Button (and CO) ...
- Defending from Blinds ..
- General art of 3betting ...
- General art of bluffing ...

Continue with Cardchat 30days Course

etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: felixmaker and Veralt
BetterThanAvgButNotByMuch

BetterThanAvgButNotByMuch

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 1, 2022
Total posts
903
Awards
1
Poker Chips
265
Casino Coins
0
  • #6
Consistency.
 
black and

black and

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Sep 15, 2020
Total posts
2,082
Awards
3
UA
Poker Chips
499
Casino Coins
210
  • #7
Veralt said:
What do you think is the most important thing when starting out?
I would focus on freerolls, namely our CardsChat freerolls. That is, I would first become a member of the CardsChat community, fulfill all the conditions in order to gain access to silver and platinum freerolls, and simply build my bankroll.
 
  • Like
Reactions: felixmaker and Veralt
Gdefender

Gdefender

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 7, 2017
Total posts
377
Awards
4
HU
Poker Chips
461
Casino Coins
0
  • #8
A few things that I would recommend for a beginner player to pay attention to!

1. If possible, try all the games that are offered on poker sites:

-Texas Holdem (Pot limit, No limit and Fix limit)
-7 card Stud
-Razz
-Omaha (Hi-Lo)
-7 card stud, and more....

2. Find the most profitable and lovable game for you (if possible on freerolls)

3. Always give yourself a bankroll that doesn't (excessively) affect your personal life!

4. Set limits for yourself, as an example: 4 games per week $2.20....

5. Play, learn! ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: felixmaker, BetterThanAvgButNotByMuch and Veralt
NootNoot

NootNoot

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 16, 2023
Total posts
200
GB
Poker Chips
171
Casino Coins
0
  • #9
Position as an overriding concept, and so many things branch off from that.

I agree with those saying that pre flop charts would be important . We open tighter from UTG than we do from the button on these charts. Why? Position.

We should fold some hands in the small blind facing an UTG raise, but continue with the same cards in the big blind facing a button raise. Why? Position. We're out of position in both, but there's a big difference between those two situations.

Thinking in terms of ranges instead of hands, which goes back to your preflop charts as a starting point, which goes back to position.

Some basic post-flop play, focusing on whether to cbet or not, and how to play against one. Again, position plays a part in all that.

Away from position - basic odds and probabilities. How to count outs, the "rule of 2 and 4" shortcut, chances of flopping a set/flush draw/at least a pair/nothing, and what that means for you and your opponent, overcards vs pocket pairs etc.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Veralt
N

Niykk

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Feb 24, 2022
Total posts
606
Awards
1
Poker Chips
128
Casino Coins
0
  • #10
I would focus on rules, being patient, folding big hands when apropriate, bluffing.
 
thwenth1983

thwenth1983

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
May 26, 2019
Total posts
785
Awards
2
BR
Poker Chips
693
Casino Coins
0
  • #11
Good morning everyone, I started playing poker at the end of 2018, to this day I see that many players are playing hands that they shouldn't play. Firstly, you need to study the pre flop ranges, which hands I should play from each position, which hands I should play 3bet. A professional player knows the theory and rarely makes mistakes, I'm talking about the guys who are considered the best in the world. An example is a UTG, with 60bb opens and you are in UTG1 with 55bb, which hands should you play of calling and which hands should you 3bet? You have to study the pre flop, if you learn the pre flop it is enough to be profitable in micros.
 
dreamer13

dreamer13

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Mar 18, 2022
Total posts
5,284
Awards
2
LV
Poker Chips
1,567
Casino Coins
15
  • #12
For beginners, it will be important to decide which format they like best – and learn to play it.Don't jump straight to high limits and think about your opponents' cards.
 
laihuynh

laihuynh

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 3, 2023
Total posts
327
Awards
1
VN
Poker Chips
313
Casino Coins
0
  • #13
Eliminate bad hands, because before I started playing I often traded with bad hands.
 
hardongear

hardongear

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Nov 20, 2022
Total posts
1,386
CA
Poker Chips
1,005
Casino Coins
5
  • #14
Aside from the obvious work on patience, bankroll management and mental/toughness/tilt control. Preflop charts as it all starts preflop. Start with a simple but effective TAG style of play and as gain experience and learn the tendencies of your player pool you start and learn to exploit and build your game/strategy. Once you reach 50nl and are crushing it then the real work and studying begins in my opinion.

Also start early working on ranges and defense from the SB & BB.

Also if you're doing any amount of playing online get a HUD even if the site you play at doesn't allow them during play. HUD's a are resource and tool for offline studying and hand reviews.

Cheers!!!
 
yogo9

yogo9

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
Total posts
670
Awards
4
DZ
Poker Chips
128
Casino Coins
0
  • #15
First of all start with the basics of the game, Game concepts/hand rankings/pot odds .... etc. Than Learn 3 Things;

-Bankroll Management
-Game Selection
-equity (Your grasp of equity is critical to improving.)

GOOD LUCK ;).
 
hilary antonik filho

hilary antonik filho

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Jan 8, 2022
Total posts
5,574
Awards
4
BR
Poker Chips
1,671
Casino Coins
0
  • #16
Veralt said:
What do you think is the most important thing when starting out?
I really liked your question, but in my opinion I would be more observant and take note of every player and play
 
  • Like
Reactions: Veralt
Gallarado777

Gallarado777

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Jun 19, 2022
Total posts
5,546
Awards
3
KZ
Poker Chips
304
Casino Coins
0
  • #17
I would spend more time bluffing properly because I lost so much money when I did it wrong when I was new to poker, and if I had to start studying again, I advise new players to spend more time bluffing and learn because you can't win poker honestly, you have to be able to bluff
 
Falai_san

Falai_san

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Dec 25, 2021
Total posts
495
Awards
2
MA
Poker Chips
237
Casino Coins
0
  • #18
I think that Preflop charts . A good start to learning
 
Poker Orifice

Poker Orifice

And Still...
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Total posts
28,289
Awards
6
CA
Poker Chips
892
Casino Coins
5
  • #19
I'd suggest starting out by playing 6max 2nl cash games. And getting 100k hands. Then move up to 5nl.
Get this basic foundation down prior to branching out to other areas. It'll help you immensely having postflop skills on deep stacks even for when you transition to MTT's.

Learn to Value Bet correctly. Everything is based from this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Veralt
Poker Orifice

Poker Orifice

And Still...
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Total posts
28,289
Awards
6
CA
Poker Chips
892
Casino Coins
5
  • #20
Veralt said:
What do you think is the most important thing when starting out?

I think today there is so much information available online but a difficult thing could be knowing 'Where do I start?'

I've been playing recreationally for fun, for ~15years & have also enjoyed studying the game along the way (actually quite a bit when I first got started) and yet even now I still have some difficulty knowing
"what do I study now? And where does it go from there?"

I think doing the Cardschat 30-day course would be a great place to start from. I haven't done it myself but I am certain it is set up very well and it'd give you a great foundation (< which is key!)

Often I see players who look as if they are trying to implement stuff they've seen on Twitch, or Youtube but they are not incorporating it effectively, or appropriately and there is some glaring leaks in their approach. Leading them to FPS (fancy play syndrome).

You can also find some good courses online.
For cash games there's a book by Blackrain that is good for playing micros.

Another excellent course is 'Cash Game Hero' by Scrimitzu

It might seem like a lot to spend $100, or $200 but honestly these will pay for itself in no time at all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Veralt
B

blata8ruga

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Total posts
877
Awards
2
Poker Chips
52
Casino Coins
0
  • #21
I would focus on learning to be able to fold good hands when I sense I may be beat.
 
takinitSLEAZEE

takinitSLEAZEE

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 2, 2011
Total posts
1,476
Awards
2
US
Poker Chips
206
Casino Coins
0
  • #22
Joining CardsChat, obviously. :cool:
 
M

Magallaneroy

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Nov 21, 2023
Total posts
322
VE
Poker Chips
877
Casino Coins
0
  • #23
In the outs you have in every hand.
 
AndyFio

AndyFio

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 5, 2021
Total posts
305
Awards
1
Poker Chips
69
Casino Coins
0
  • #24
I would focus on the fact that limping into a game is a big mistake in most cases.
 
Rickyrihari

Rickyrihari

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
May 28, 2023
Total posts
38
NZ
Poker Chips
40
Casino Coins
0
  • #25
The rules would be paramount.
 
Top