Beginner Poker Tips: Learning to Win Without the Nuts

Beginner Strategies
September 3 2008

To be a truly successful poker player you have to be able to win pots even when you don’t have the best hands at the table. If you’re basing your entire game on luck and the chance that you’re going to catch the nuts over and over, then you’re going to eventually go bust because luck comes and goes frequently.

You have to learn how to win without having the nuts. One great way to do this is to analyze how you play differently when you have the nuts and when you don’t. If you can work these differences out of your game you will greatly improve your chances of winning those pots where you’re not holding superior cards.

Here’s another way to improve your play. Look at how this hand would be played: You have A-K in a late position. You raise pre-flop and after receiving two callers the flop shows [Ks] [5h] [Js]. Your two opponents both check and you bet out with your kings, fearing a possible flush draw. Your opponents fold and you take down the pot.

Now what happens when you’re holding A-4 suited hearts and the same board of [Ks] [5h] [Js] turns up? Once again your two opponents check and you make the same big bet and take down the pot after making a successful bet. If you also checked with your ace-high and ended up giving away a free card, this may have killed your chances at winning the pot. Work on strategies like this when you’re not holding the best hand to keep your opponents guessing, and to steal a few pots here and there.

• More poker tips for: Beginner Strategies
• Complete poker tips archive