Basic tips

[sirplus]

Poker -5 mins to learn, a lifetime to master
Theres a lotta stuff out there (a lot of it free) -get it and hook in
Read/watch and absorb, integrate, assess and discard

The following basic stuff; it helped me get to a few FT & win sometimes as well.

3 words to know
1 -Tight -only proceeds with good cards esp starting hand.
2 -Agressive -Usually raises multiples of BB or folds; rarely checks or calls
3 -Solid -Wins at showdown (read opponent, throw hand as needed)

Be careful not to change major parts of your game too much at once or you wont know what made the difference and what hurt & also be sure to play like yourself not someone else

Mix it up, loose/tight, aggressive/passive -predictable is dead

Type "lol" when you are unlucky but don't get mad and bet crazy.
Make the next bet count -you have catching up to do
And don't rush in -others will be watching ready to pounce if you tilt

ALWAYS THINK ABOUT WHY
It's always a story that makes sense unless playing idiots
So know who the idiots are and take their $ fast as you dare
and the story will sound ok and you can trust it
(unless you are being trapped -then it will still make sense -after)

Try seeing if you think you played it well
ie would you do that again if the chance came up (-& it will)
or what would you do different next time ......
If yes then good if not then fix it but not to beat yourself up
so learn from your mistakes and move on

Its about winning the war of attrition -who can last the longest
you can't if you get wiped out in a battle (any battle)

A big thing is to be able to listen to your gut -YOU DO NOT NEED TO CALL
Let go that monster pot you just spend thousands building
and fold those 2 x Aces
JUST BECAUSE YOUR GUT SAYS SO

Believe them when they bet unless you have good reason not to.

Play tight if others are loose and steal the blinds if in position and they are tight.

Position, position, position. Position is everything -need I say more?
and learn to read your opponent, ask them after -you will be amazed

Make notes on how they act with different hands -very handy next time you meet them like FT or next tourney if not sooner.
Classify the players, a solid player checking or calling a small bet is usually looking to draw but watch out you don't get trapped next time if you push him, he will spot what you did and trap you easily next time (the remedy it to not bluff next time and have even better cards so it's a double trap).

Bet pre flop and post flop decent bets 3-6x BB to find out who has something.
Throw that losing hand (even small/medium pairs depending on the board) if you don't flop something

Don't chase your draws -especially don't buy them for a high price post flop. Flop is 3 cards (so 2 for free) after that board cards is a 1 for 1 deal

Don't bluff too much (or over bluff -just as bad) and especially not before you are known at the table as a tight, agressive and solid player. (Unless you are setting something up that is.)

You can go half a tourney and not make a bet except AA or KK (Try it for a joke) You will make the FT sometimes just doing that
My point is not to squander your chips -sure bet on lesser cards to mix it up but only very occasionally like 1 x per hour and even then be careful not to throw good chips after bad

Theres heaps more but thats all I will give for now.

PS -If you do everything I say, I will win -LOL