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It’s challenging to find beginner poker tips that actually help you win. There is so much confusing information out there that it can be frustrating when trying to learn the game. Most of the Texas Hold’em tips focus on how to play poker and less on the things that actually make someone a winning player.
My goal for this article is to help you start your poker journey off on the right foot by telling you some things I consider useful.

1. There Is No Such Thing as Luck
If you want to maximize your chances of becoming the best player you can possibly be, then you need to check your belief in luck at the door. Now, don’t get me wrong, over the short or even mid-term anyone can be lucky or unlucky and run over or under expectation. What you simply must not believe in is the possibility that someone can be predestined for good luck or bad luck.

There is no room for superstition in poker. All it leads to is a life of frustration and tilt. Otherwise, the first big downswing might lead you to believe in some sort of cosmic conspiracy that the poker Gods simply don’t like you.

2. Mental Toughness Is More Important Than Skill
What separates the best players from everyone often has nothing to do with how well they play poker. In fact, the mental side of poker has been the downfall of some of the most talented players to ever play. It doesn’t matter how good you are if you don’t have the right mindset your win-rate will suffer.

3. Monster Hands Do Not Actually Win Much Money
One of the keys to learning how to win at poker is in understanding that everyone makes a lot of money when they pick up a monster hand. In fact, big hands are extremely difficult to play poorly. That idea is one of the facets of how reciprocality works. Differences in between what you and your opponents do in every poker situation are what affects your ultimate bottom line.

4. Play For Fun, Not For Money
If you only get joy from winning money at the tables, then poker is probably is not the game for you. Burnout is a real issue that will creep up on anyone who does not have a natural love of the endeavor. It’s just like any job. If you don’t love what you do, you will begin to hate life after a period of time.

5.Poker Talent Is a Myth
Skill comes from three aspects: knowledge, practice, and aptitude. Aptitude you can do little about and is overrated in my opinion. The key is to understand your natural strengths and weaknesses and then apply those to your poker game. Some people are good at math and numbers, some are good at understanding people, some are good at soaking up knowledge, and some have a tireless work ethic. Everyone is good at some level in all areas of aptitude. Those who practice based on their abilities are the ones who excel.

6.Always Consider the Aggressive Play First
Fold equity is one of the most powerful concepts to understand. Basically, it is the amount of money won through aggressive actions such as betting or raising. It does not require that you show down your cards. If you never bet or raise, then you are missing out on a lot of profit.

Based on the money won through fold equity, anytime you are contemplating an action in poker you should always consider the aggressive play first. Only if the aggressive play is not profitable should you even consider a passive play like checking or calling.

As a rule, if the aggressive play is profitable, then it is almost always the best play.

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One last bonus piece of advice that I will give you is to not take yourself too seriously. Poker is full of players who think they are God’s gift to poker. That type of know-it-all attitude is the road to underachievement. The faster you can take the ego out of your game, the quicker you can get busy improving and “pwning” the competition.