Tips from "Team Playboy"

• Know when to Hold’em, and know when to Fold’em!
  A key aspect to any aspiring poker player’s game is knowing when to get away from a seemingly good hand. Learn how to fold a hand, and don’t be a calling station. Many beginners keep betting regardless of the board or what their opponent’s actions are suggesting. Top players frequently say it’s the hands you can lay down that are often the key to profitable play.
   
• Watch your opponents carefully
  Learn to do this especially when you aren’t in a hand. Be switched on when you are at the table. Often the best time to study is when you aren’t emotionally invested in the hand, and you can make more prudent observations. Learning how your opponents play is key.
• Betting to gain knowledge
  Betting is not always because you have the best hand. Top players use various betting techniques to try to gain information. For example, a defensive bet is one that you can use early on to avoid calling a bigger future bet. A re-raise may be used to probe the credibility of your opponent’s hand.
• Judging what you opponent has
  Try putting yourself in your opponents’ shoes, and learn to put them on a hand. Ask questions like “Why did he re-raise me that amount?”, and “Why did he only call in the previous betting round?” Asking yourself questions such as these will help you work out the strength of an opponents hand.
• Bluffing opponents
  Bluffing is often a misunderstood concept and to many beginners dismay most pros use bluffs quite sparingly. A bluff can be very effective when used rarely, and where there is a seemingly low risk of being called by your opponent. Be careful though – bluffing at the wrong time against the wrong player could leave you facing an uphill battle.