Writer: Dave Tarbet

Ever been in a game where you just can’t believe you’re losing? You’re a good player, you only play strong starting hands and you know the odds but somehow you’re losing against some very bad players.

With poker positively booming at the moment and enjoying more television and media coverage than ever before the above situation is a common occurrence in card rooms (both online and live) throughout the world simply because of the influx of new players.

Think back to when you first started playing. A pair of threes seemed massive and all your money was going in on that flush draw. You hadn’t even heard of Hellmuth, Brunson et al and had no idea about pot odds or double belly busters!

So how do you combat these inexperienced new-comers?

The first thing to remember is that results in poker are measured in the long term and good solid play will ultimately be rewarded, no matter how many bad beats you have to endure along the way. So when the newbie across the table beats your Ace-King with King-Ten, just smile, safe in the knowledge that you’ll end up with the money in the long run.