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History of Poker

As early as the sixteenth century, Germans played a bluffing game called "Pochen." It later developed into a French version, called "Poque," which was eventually brought over to New Orleans and played on the riverboats that traveled the Mississippi.
In the 1830s, the game was refined further and became known as Poker. During the Civil War, the key rule about drawing cards to improve one's hand was added. There are hundreds of versions of Poker, and the game is played not only in private homes, but also in countless Poker rooms at famous casinos. Poker can be played socially for pennies or matchsticks, or professionally for thousands of dollars.
There is plenty of luck in Poker, but the game requires incredibly great skill as well, and each player is the master of his own fate.

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Strategy

At its heart, poker really is a simple game. Once you understand the basic rules, you’re already two steps ahead of the competition. However, it’s not only the rules of play that make you a better poker player. As a beginner, it’s essential that you balance the entertainment side of poker with the financial aspect. Here are some common playing tips and strategies for beginners!

Start Low Stakes

If your just starting to play, start with lower bets. You will feel more comfortable knowing that you are not risking a lot of money and even if you do, it won't hurt you. Doing this will help you focus on learning the game. It enables you to see the whole picture and get a feel the whole game looks. You will hopefully start to further understand positions, what poker hands you should play, and can take everything in practice.

Bluffing

There are six general matters you need to consider when deciding whether or not to bluff: your opponents, your image, the betting history of the hand, your position, the strength of your hand, and the size of the bet. Beginning players often fall into the trap of bluffing far too much, so it's important to remember that there’s a time and place to succeed with bluffing, which itself is a complicated matter.

Use Positions

When deciding which hands to play in Texas Holdem, your position going to be one of the most important factors to consider. You win more money from later positions so try to play more hands from there. By far the most profitable position in poker is Button (BTN). Sitting there can help you play more hands than from any other position.

When to Fold

This is a key tip! Knowing when to fold can greatly affect your success. Players in lower stakes games are not bluffing as much so in the long run, you will be doing yourself a huge favor by folding one pair hands to aggression in these spots. Most of the time one pair hands even as good as a top pair or an overpair should go into a muck. However, there are different types of players and you will need to play differently against them.

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