Intermediate Poker Strategy-Proper Pot Odds

Using proper pot odds Poker Strategy is a key to winning in poker. Once you have the basics down and you know your pocket rockets from your ducks, applying intermediate poker tactics like this one will ensure your poker career is a profitable one.

First, a brief refresher on pot odds; pot odds refers to the calculation (and what the calculation tells you) of how much money is in the pot compared to how much you are being asked to put in.  For example, if there is $40 in the pot and you are facing a $10 bet, your odds are four to one (risking one unit to win four). You then compare this to your odds of winning the hand (counting your outs) to see if it makes sense for you to call.

When it comes to figuring out pot odds some players make a big mistake- they worry about how much of their own money they already have in the pot. The amount of money you have invested in a hand is irrelevant to pot odds.

Each and ever time you make a poker decision it is to answer the question "what is the best thing for me to do right here and right now". That means that if you started the hand with pocket aces and the by the turn there is a four flush (for someone else), you have to be ready to dump the hand. Likewise you should not be concerned with how much money you have put in the pot to this point.

Worrying about the cash you put in prior to this decision you have to make could cause you to ignore pot odds all together, which is not a great idea. You could certainly do this and get lucky, but that happens all the time in poker. It doesn't mean it was the right thing to do.

(Editor's Note:  More poker tips can be found at Party Poker.com. Sign up with them now to improve your game, and win a seat at the Poker Million for as little as $1.)