TIPS

Many beginners don't realize how important it is to have a well-defined strategy for playing their first two cards. It's not a good idea to get excited about an ace-king suited or a pair of nines without considering some important factors. Players who think any two decent cards are worth playing-without considering several very important dynamics-usually end up donating chips to other players-regularly.

There are several factors to a starting strategy - steps you must master before you can get creative. These factors are chair position, number of players, opponent styles, bankroll, and the fear factor.

Chair Position
Where are you seated in relation to the dealer? Are you two to four seats to his left? If so, you are in early position and you want to be cautious about playing anything, but the strongest hands. A full table of players has a chance to raise and re-raise and this could put you in a not-so-good spot. If you are four to six seats to the left of the dealer then you are in middle position and you have additional hands you can add to your starting strategy. If you are seated in any of the remaining spots, you are considered to be in late position and not only can you expand the card requirements, but you can also try to finesse or bluff others out of the pot.

Number of Players
If you're at a full table , the chances that someone has a strong hand are pretty good. Plus, the more people in the pot, the increased chance that somebody will improve his or her hand. You'll want to evaluate the strength of your hand and adjust for a full table.

Opponent Styles
One of the smartest moves you can make is folding the first few hands-no matter how good they look. This gives you the opportunity to assess your opponents. Watch the game; see who completes hands and what they were holding. Watch for the super aggressive player and stay away from him unless you have a powerhouse hand. As for the passive player, look to steal his blinds and his pots because he will probably be fearful of losing.

Bankroll
It should be understood that the less money you have the more cautiously you should play. With a minimal amount of money you should select the very best playing hands and play them aggressively. If it means you have to go all in, by all means do so. The advantage to going all in comes when other players relax their play in hopes of grabbing your last few chips. Many times the game will become short-handed when a player goes all in and this, as noted above, can work to your advantage. This doesn't mean you can go crazy if you have lots of chips. You might make some bluffing moves but overall, keep in mind you want to win chips and if your bankroll and constant aggressive moves don't scare players out then don't waste your time.

Fear Factor
Understand one thing--no matter how many people bet pre-flop, barring the rare tie hands there's going to be just one winner when the last chip goes into the pot. It would be nice if that winner was you every time but that's just not going to happen. You're probably not even going to win half the pots you enter. This fact alone had a tendency to upset some players because they are afraid of losing their money, ergo, they become afraid to bet. Playing poker is a risky business; you have to be able to tolerate that risk if you expect to win. You can cut down on your losses by following a strict strategy.

Remember, beginning players very often play too many hands pre-flop then stay too long once they've committed. Don't let this be your downfall.

TELLS

What is a Poker Tell? A tell is any habit, behavior, or physical reaction, that gives other players more information about your hand. I was always told the term "Tell", came from the old telegraph. Like a player would telegraph (Tell) what he/she was trying to keep secret. The following are tells and tips can apply to both the beginner and advanced players. But always remember that an experienced player will imitate a Tell just to throw off his opponent.

Watch the Eyes
This is why many players wear sunglasses or hats/visors/caps when playing, they know that the eyes rarely lie.  For example, many players can't help but to stare at good hole cards, so their length of time peeking is generally longer. Conversely, if a player is looking to steal the pot, he may look to his left to see if the remaining players, who haven't yet acted, have quickly glanced at their cards and are likely to fold. Another example, a player may try to ask you questions about your hand, knowing that people rarely can "look someone straight in the eyes" while being dishonest.

Facial Expression
Again, many players try to disguise their entire face by wearing a cap and looking downward. This is to avoid the stare-down that some poker pros are famous for. They may try to study your face for nervousness (detecting a weak hand), or even look for repetitive characteristics like a body "tic". You may have obvious discomfort in your face when your hand is weak, and conversely, you may show a contrasting show of confidence when your hand is strong.

Anxiety
Anxiety typically occurs in people when they are confronted, or anticipating confrontation. Physical changes happen including flexing of muscles, eye pupil dilation, palpitating heart rate, dry throat. In poker, when someone has a big hand they are typically ready for confrontation and can exhibit some of these characteristics. You may see the chest expanding abnormally, or you may notice the players voice become slightly higher as he makes a comment. Some of the top players in the game will stare at the vein on the top-side of your face for blood pressure changes. During a bluff, the player may demonstrate anxiety, but if he knows he will fold the hand if re-raised (non-confrontational end) may look quite comfortable.

Weak is Strong/Strong is Weak
In its most simplistic form, this usually applies to novice players but frequently applies to pros as well. Basically, players like to be actors, and when they have a huge hand they tend to look disinterested. For example: "Oh, is it my turn "or "dang, I guess I will play these cards". Alternatively, a player increasing the level of his voice while raising the pot, and trying to look intimidating - may be running a bluff.

Trembling Hands
Also, a byproduct of anxiety, beware of a player whose hands are shaking, this nervousness can represent a monster hand.

Glance at Chips
Again, relating to the eyes. It is common for players to quickly glance at their chips if they connect with the board after a Flop. This may be a subconscious reaction, but the player is already planning his attack.

Peeking Hole Cards on Flop
Some players will take another look at their hole cards when, for example, the board is showing a potential 3 card flush draw. Typically, the player is looking to see if one of his cards is connecting, because he remembers only that the two cards are different suits.

Repetitive Betting Patterns
Usually the most revealing tells are based on the way a player habitually bets during particular situations. For example, maybe the player always checks when he has made the nuts, or a player may regularly fold after being re-raised.

Body Posture/Attitude
Some players show obvious changes in their posture based on their attitude/hand strength. For instance, you may notice their shoulders drop/slump when they are not confident (weak hand). Conversely, you may notice the player is very attentive and sitting in an erect position when he has strength. You may also notice that a player who bluffs a lot, leans forward in a confrontational way... remember Strong is Weak!

Chip Stacking
When you first sit down at a table, study the way the players stack their chips. Although it is a generalization, loose aggressive players typically maintain unorganized/sloppy stacks, while tight conservative players keep well organized/neat stacks.