Knowing how to play poker and knowing how to win are two entirely seperate things. Follow our tips and you'll soon make the move from player to winner.

Poker tips day 1 Know your hands
Lets start with the basics. What makes a good hand in No Limit Texas Holdem? The main problem is that you start with only two of your cards. The hole cards that are dealt face down to you. This is only part of the picture that will gradually build up with the five community cards as they are revealed in between the rounds of betting.

Top hands
These are the hands that you dream of. A pocket pair of Aces, Kings or Queens, theres also Ace, King and to some extent King-Queen in this category especially if theyre in the same suit.

Suited connectors
These are becoming increasingly popular hands and consist of cards of the same suit that could also form a straight, for example, the 8 and 9 of hearts. These offer both the opportunity to make a straight and a flush but need to hit the flop to have any value at all.

Other pairs
Other pairs are a double edged sword. On one hand they are a pair and may win some hands even if they dont improve, but if they dont they will soon be overtaken by straights, flushes etc.

Ace high
There are times when an ace will be enough either on its own or as part of a tie breaker or to lead a flush. In these cases, if you have the ace you will win.

Get lucky
The simple truth is that given the right cards any two cards in your hand could prove to be a winner. This is what top players do well and the amateur botches so badly. If you have enough chips or the other players make it cheap enough then it may be worth taking a look at the flop with almost everything. If youre lucky and hit the flop you can make a big hand that no-one else is expecting and get paid out big time!

Dangerous hands
There are two hands that all poker players should be wary of and they are Ace rag (and ace a low card) and two pairs. The problem is that people tend to over play these hands valuing them higher than they should. In key hands and Ace rag will be beaten by an ace with a better second card and two pairs by three of a kind or a full house.

Poker tips day 2 Betting pre flop
Betting pre flop is an under used aspect of the amateur game. This is when each player has just their hidden cards to go on and this is the perfect time to make a statement.

Its the time to test, shock and unsettle your opponents and see who has the courage to back what in theory is a good hand before the comfort zone of seeing the flop.

It really doesnt matter what cards you have when you do this but a large raise at this point should be considered at some stage of your game. Youll either win the blinds if everyone folds or run the risk of losing out to a bigger hand. Thats not the issue as youll find out a lot about your opponents and in poker information is money. Who calls straight away? Who folds? What comments are made? Who can be bullied later in the game? Who stares you down as they either call or fold?

Remember all this information for when it really matters.

Poker tips day 3 betting flop, turn and river
Betting after the flop sorts out the men from the boys and shapes the hand. There will be players that have made their hands with the three cards from the flop and those still waiting for improvements of extra cards to form that flush or straight. There may be some who have missed it completely and are left hoping for a miracle.

Apply the pressure
If youve got your hand already, such as a high pair, three of a kind or better then you want to bet and bet to apply the pressure to those waiting to make better hands. Watch their reaction to your bets, watch their hesitation and youll see how far away they are from the hand they want. Take a good look at the flop and youll be able to work out what they have or are hoping for. Then its up to you to make the price of poker as high as you want to.

Find out information
You can also bet to find out information about what others have in their hands. A small raise should be enough for this as their reaction and whether they call, fold raise will tell you where you stand in the hand.

Milk the cash cows
Youve got a good hand and you know it. Now your mission is to get as many chips as you can from the other players. The temptation is there to push all your chips into the middle and take them from anyone stupid enough to call or check and trap anyone that raises. The truth is that neither is likely to get you any money. The best way is small bets, hesitant unsure raises as if youre trying to get rid of anyone on a draw, act weak and youll get paid and paid with each round of betting.

Checking
To check is to bet nothing and is a sign of weakness. It will probably be followed by a whole series of checks until another player raises and then a series of folds will follow. Checking says I have nothing and am hoping to get lucky and hit a hand. Obviously, a player maybe deliberately trying to appear weak but usually the first person to show some strength and bets, more often than not, wins the hand. If you see a sign of weakness seize on it and raise. Not too much in case they are trapping but enough to see off the weak and feeble.

Check / raise
Watch out for players who check then raise. This can often mean that they have a big, big hand and are trying to appear weak to trap a bluff. They could be bluffing themselves and be really weak. Thats the beauty of poker, you can never be truly sure until all the cards have been played.

Tony Hetherington is the owner of www.Dice2mice.com. Dice2mice is the ultimate online games magazine. Whether games are played online, with cards, across a board or with a gamepad – we cover them all.