New poker players love to stare at hole cards 4♦️ 3♦️ and make a case that suited connectors will make a straight flush on the flop. Those moments are perfect for an edited television show, but in a lengthly live sit down, those attempts should be limited. There may not be a greater high in poker than bluffing your opponent out of a hand. Seasoned veterans will recognize that the new player only plays strong cards, thus setting up a potential bluff later in the game. Whether it is a pocket pair or two face cards, playing aggressive is key when a new player should be seeing only 10% to 15% of flops during a game. The idea for a new player is to make that first decision with a 'tight but aggressive' mantra. And knowing the win probability of hole cards without reference to your opponent is key.īelow are all hole card combinations, with an 'S' signifying suited cards and an 'O' signifying off-suite.

With an understanding of the poker hand rankings, making a decision on which hole cards to play becomes the next step. One of the biggest mistakes new poker players make is getting involved in too many boards.

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