Poker Strategy: Beginner Poker
Basic strategy concepts to teach new players how to play poker.
Whether you’re new to poker, a beginner player looking to sharpen your skills, or just new to FlopTurnRiver.com, this beginner’s section will get you acquainted with all of the above. Poker is different from other forms of casino gambling games because you play against the other players, not the house. The house takes a rake out of every pot, and that’s how they make their money. They couldn’t care less how each player plays their hand or how much each player wins or loses. Out of this unique structure, strategy is born. If you make fewer mistakes than your opponents, over the long run, you will make money. It’s as simple as that.
If you’re new, everything may seem overwhelming. But the best way to approach becoming a poker shark is to take it one step and one hand at a time. Browse all of our beginner poker strategy articles below, or signup for our poker forum and introduce yourself in the Beginners Circle. There are many winning players who are willing to give you advice to help plug your leaks and improve your game. Poker is a game of skill, anyone can get lucky in one hand or session. But it takes the people who become students of the game to become a consistent winner. Start your poker education now!
Featured Beginner Poker Articles
Most Recent Beginner Poker Articles
An Introduction to Game Theory in Poker
A reader-friendly, easy to understand explanation of game theory and its applications in poker. Explaining the differences between theoretical terms such as strategy, strategic options, domination and exploitation, the article teaches players how to use these principles to maximize their winnings.
NLHE Foundations #07: Putting Opponents on Flop Ranges (Part 1)
Introduction I’ve been doing the free NLHE Foundations Course here on FlopTurnRiver to give players a straight-forward path to go from the beginner levels to the intermediate levels with a mind towards being able to systematically improve over time. If you want...
NLHE Foundations #06: Putting Opponents on Pre-Flop Ranges (Part 3)
Introduction This is the sixth part of the free NLHE Foundations Series that I’m running here on FTR. This series is designed to give you a very clear set of tools that will teach you how to study what will really make you a better NLHE poker player. If you want...
NLHE Foundations #05: Putting Opponents on Pre-Flop Ranges (Part 2)
Introduction This is the fifth part of the NLHE Foundations Series. This series is designed to give a clear set of topics to study and methods for studying that will bring players up to the intermediate levels in no-limit hold’em. People who are signed up in the...
NLHE Foundations #04: Putting Opponents on Pre-Flop Ranges (Part 1)
Introduction This is part four in the NLHE Foundations Series. I’ve designed this series to give players a clear path from the beginner to intermediate levels in no-limit hold’em. There’s a lot more to this series than these posts because...
NLHE Foundations #03: Calling to Close the Action in No-Limit Hold’em
This is the third installment in the No-Limit Hold’em Foundations Course. Before you read this lesson, you should have completed lesson 1 and lesson 2, and this includes doing the exercises and posting them in the forum threads for each lesson. Also make sure to...
NLHE Foundations #02: Basic No-Limit Hold’em Bluffing Analysis
NLHE Foundations Course This is the second lesson in the free No-Limit Hold’em foundations course, and all you have to do to sign up is create an account (if you haven’t already) and post in the forum thread I just linked to saying you want in. I’ll...
NLHE Foundations #01: Introduction to Hold’em Ranges
NLHE Foundations Course This is the first lesson in the free No-Limit Hold’em Foundations course that I’m running here on FlopTurnRiver. There’s a lot more to these lessons than what you see here. If you would like to take part in this, all you have...
Essential Examples of Blockers in Poker
A good place to start working with ranges is looking at blockers, why they matter, how they work and what you can do with them.
The General Theory Behind Inducing Bluffs in Poker
Most people don’t understand the relationship between inducing bluffs and value betting in the game of poker.
Please Stop Paying Off Loose/Passives at the Poker Tables
Having the faith to lay down hands when facing aggression from loose/passive players requires a strong understanding of why you can fold.
Looking More Into Implied Odds
Learning implied odds on a deep level is something virtually no microstakes or small stakes players do, and it can drastically help your game.
Modern Blind Stealing for No-Limit Hold’em in 2015
Online no-limit hold’em is known for focusing around a handful of plays, and stealing the blinds is one of those.
Revisiting the EV Calculations Tutorial Series
This week’s column details not one but two of the most critical poker training series I have ever put together.
The Delicate Nature of Pot Odds and Implied Odds
We have the three major weaknesses that players have when dealing with pot odds and implied odds, but we’ll also show you how to correct them.
