Poker has been a featured casino game since the first gambling house opened in Italy in the 1600s. The mixture of skill and luck has fascinated players ever since, leading to new variations of the game, high payout tournament play and options for people of any skill level or betting preference to play either in person or online whenever and from wherever they wish.
The Grande Vegas casino offers players multiple poker options including, Aces and Eights Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Double Jackpot Poker, 7s Wild Poker and poker with progressive jackpot prizes plus many more. If you want to increase your wins when playing online poker, Grande Vegas suggests that you review the misconceptions about poker so you don’t get caught up in misguided strategies and expectations.
Check out some common myths about poker and the truth behind those myths.
Myth 1: Poker is a Game of Luck
Winning many casino games is dependent on luck but that’s not 100% true with poker. In fact, poker and blackjack are the two casino games where skill plays a considerable part. If you’re just playing a hand or two, you have more of a chance to win if you’re relying on chance but if you’re playing for a longer period of time, the more strategy that you utilize, but more success you’ll see.
Estimations vary but some casino advisors believe that playing according to basic poker strategy, together with knowledge of the best poker techniques, can give you up to a 70% advantage in playing poker.
These practices include knowing when to bet, when to hold and when to fold. If you’re playing against other players, the techniques can also provide insights about when to bluff and how to read other players’ bluffs.
You can find out more about basic poker strategy along with additional tips and hints through tutorials, both text and video.
Myth 2: Pros Always Win
While knowledge and skill are important when playing poker, they aren’t the only elements needed to win. Poker involves variance which means that novices can win and pros can lose. Over the long term, a skilled player enjoys an advantage but if you’re just playing a round or two, your chances of winning your hands increase.
Myth 3: There are Systems that Can Help You Win Poker
Betting systems are different than strategies. Betting systems, such as the Martingale System, the Fibonacci System and the Labouchere System purport to give you an approach to your betting that is ordered and, they say, will increase your overall wins. These strategies include:
- The Martingale Strategy – suggests that you double your bet after every loss which will allow you to recover past losses with a single win.
- Paroli Strategy – differs from negative progression betting systems, like the Martingale, this positive progression betting system directs you to match your previous bet equally after each win
- The Fibonacci Strategy – guides you to wager bet amounts in which each deposit is the sum of the two preceding ones
- The D’Alembert Strategy – tells you to increase or decrease your bet size by one unit after every play, regardless of the results of the previous play
- The Labouchere Strategy – looks at a sequence of numbers to determine the optimal next bet
- The James Bond Strategy –covers a wide range of numbers using a specific betting pattern
In truth, it’s not a good idea to use a betting system when you’re playing poker.
These systems are counter-indicated because they give poker players a false sense of security and often increase feelings of emotional and psychological stress. They are riskier bets because there’s more chance that you’ll suffer a more significant loss than you would with a regular bet and you are more likely to place a larger bet than you would otherwise.
Some of the systems are complex and require careful record-keeping which can then lead to mistakes and mismanagement of funds. In short, most such systems lead to short-term gains and long-term losses. Gambling advisors suggest that you avoid these systems.
Myth 4: Play Every Hand
Regardless of whether you’re playing in-person poker or online, you should remember that you do not have to play every hand. The feeling that you have to play every hand is a mistake that many novice poker players make but, in reality, it’s more important to be selective about the hands that you play.
Once you learn the basic strategy you’ll have a better idea of which hands you should move forward with and which hands you should fold. The key is patience and discipline. Oftentimes, it’s more advantageous to fold, even to fold many hands, than to play them all.
Myth 5: You Can’t Win at Online Poker
Online poker is played with video poker machines so you might think that you don’t have a chance against tech. In reality, online video poker machines use sophisticated algorithms and random number generators that ensure fair play and unbiased, random deals. If you’re playing online, the most important thing is to be sure that you’re playing on a well-known, trusted platform.
If you’re debating between a home game and a casino game, it’s a good idea to remember that casino games are more structured and competitive so you should adapt your strategy to the environment.
Understand the realities behind poker myths so that you set realistic expectations and improve your game. Poker is a complex game that combines luck and skill in a unique way. Approach it with the right mindset to enjoy the best results.
