Whether you play poker for fun or for real money, Playing online is the best way to practice and improve your game. The basic strategies outlined below are your first step essentials in your poker education.

Game Selection

Game Selection is a very important first step when beginning a poker session. Choosing the appropriate game for your bankroll and your skill level will ensure a long and winning career in poker.

Evaluate the Game
- Some games are tougher than others, even though the limits are the same.
- It is important to find a game that has weaker players as opposed to a game that has stronger players. This is a very important ingredient to poker success that you will pick up as you continue to learn the game.
- Take some time to observe a game before sitting down. If it looks like a game full of tough players, then you should consider looking for another game.
- Tight/Loose and Passive/Aggressive

There are two major ways to describe games and players: Tight/Loose and Passive/Aggressive.
Tight/Loose describes how many hands a player will play. If they play very few hands, then they are considered Tight. If they play a lot of hands, then they are considered Loose.
Passive/Aggressive describes how often players tend to bet their hands. Passive players do not bet very often and prefer to call or check. Aggressive players tend to heavily bet their hands and rarely call or check.
The easiest and most profitable games for the smart beginner are those that are Loose/Passive. These are games where players tend to play too many weak hands, and do not raise often enough when they have strong hands. These are games that beginning players should seek out.
The toughest games are those in which players play fewer hands and bet heavily when they do enter the pot. This is a Tight/Aggressive style of playing that all poker players should aspire to; conversely, these are exactly the types of players that you should be cautious of.

Position

Early Position
- Early Position is usually defined as the first three players to act after the blinds (for a full table). A player in early position should only play strong hands, as there are players to act after them who may raise.
Middle Position
- Middle Position is usually defined as the next three players after the three early position players. A player in Middle Position may play slightly weaker hands than an early position player as they have the opportunity to see some of the action before them.
Late Position
- Late Position is usually defined as the last two players before the blinds. Players in Late Position may play a greater number of hands, as they are able to see the actions of the majority of the players at the table.
Blinds
- The blinds have the advantage of playing a diverse number of hands as they have already contributed either a partial or full bet. If there is a raise before them, then the blinds must often fold, as they will be in Early Position after the flop and so need a strong hand to continue.

Hand Selection

Hand Selection is as important as Game Selection, and will have a major impact on whether a player is a winner in the long run. The hands mentioned here are just a rough guide to hand selections. Playing more hands than this list suggests is perfectly fine if a player is comfortable with the action of the game. Note: suited cards are stronger than unsuited cards as they also have the possibility of making a flush.

Early Position
- AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT, 99, AK, AQ
Middle Position
- 88, 77, 66, AJ, KQ, QJ, JT
Late Position
- 66, 55, AT, KJ, KT, T9, 98, and any Ace with a same suited lower card.
Blinds
- In an un-raised pot: The same hands as Middle and Late Position.

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