5 Useful Tips to Win in Your Local Poker Home Game

Posted by Josh H on February 20th, 2018

Everybody loves playing poker. Even people who have never set their foot in a casino are often regular guests in a home poker game or two. Just like many other card games, poker is a great excuse for friends to get together, grab a few beers, and have a great time.

However, poker is also rather competitive and most people playing the game want to win. Due to its nature, poker (Texas Hold’em) isn’t one of those games where you can stay neutral and not really care about whether you win or lose.

So, if you want to start dominating your local home game, even if just for bragging rights, here are a few actionable tips that should help improve your results.

Take it Easy on the Beers

Yes, home games are primarily about having fun and a few laughs and you shouldn’t be the boring guy who sits there just focusing on his cards and doing nothing else. But that doesn’t mean you have to go crazy with the drinks, either.

Find the right balance and try to stay sober because even the best players have problems making right decisions after having too much to drink. This tip is also valid when playing in online poker games on sites like America's Cardroom.

Pay Attention to Your Opponents

One thing that makes home games special is the fact they usually gather familiar faces every week. You’ll rarely see someone completely new introduced to the game. This means you’ll have plenty of time to study your opponents and learn their tells and habits. Most people don’t do this but it will significantly improve your ability to make right decisions against particular players.

What’s even more entertaining, you’ll be able to make awesome reads and pull off some big bluffs that will leave your friends scratching their heads. All you need to do is pay a bit more attention than the rest of them and figure out how they tend to bet when they have it and how they behave when they’re bluffing. It is actually much easier than it sounds once you get used to it.

Don’t Be Lazy and Learn the Basic Math

Poker is a game of numbers; yet, most people seem completely oblivious about their odds and outs, let alone pot odds or implied odds. All of these are fairly simple concepts that are easy to learn. However, there is a huge gap between knowing and not knowing them and if you have a good grasp of these fundamental poker concepts, you’ll easily dominate your home poker game.

Stay Friendly

If you do manage to improve your poker skills and start winning regularly, it is important to stay friendly and don’t become too annoying about it. Poker is a people’s game and if you are overly boastful, you might stop receiving invitations for the home games. It is fine to enjoy your wins and have an occasional stab at your friends, but don’t become the one no one wants to play with.

Mix Things Up

Another good idea for your home games is to mix things up. This may not translate to you winning more money but it will provide you with more entertainment, which is a win in itself. Introduce new game formats and variations and give them a try. Texas Hold’em is a great game but sometimes you’ll get bored of it. Why not try Omaha or 6+ Hold’em every now and then and see how you all like it?