It’s one thing to play Texas Holdem for fun. Another to play it as a side hustle. After all, if you aim to do the latter but have no idea what you’re doing, you’ll probably lose more money than you gain. Before playing Texas Holdem for money, it’s vital to assess if you’re genuinely ready by checking the following:
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You’ve Been Playing Texas Holdem For Quite Some Time
While some would say that skill is more important than the experience, it’s still necessary to have prior playing experience when using real money. Because no matter how good you are at decision-making and deceiving your opponents, there is no substitute for the lessons that being in all sorts of situations can teach you.
Although it helps if you’ve been playing for years, you don’t have to worry if your poker journey isnโt that long just yet. Even if you have just discovered the game but have been playing non-stop for a good number of months and are truly dedicated to mastering it, you’re ready to go.
You’re Confident With Bluffing
Bluffing is a crucial part of poker and can be the difference between winning or losing. After all, if you’re not confident enough to deceive your opponents when necessary, you won’t stand much of a chance against them in real-money Texas Holdem games.
You also need to realize that there’s a massive difference between knowing how to bluff and being able to pull it off confidently. So, before you start playing for real money, ensure you are comfortable with bluffing in all situations. Otherwise, you will limit your chances of success.
To do this, try to play as many poker hands as possible and practice bluffing often. As time passes, you should notice a positive change in your bluffing skills, which will eventually help you make better decisions in your real-money Texas Holdem poker games.
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You Know How to Value Bet
Value betting is crucial in any poker variant and format, especially in Texas Holdem cash games. It’s all about strategically wagering to extract maximum value from your opponents when they seem to be beaten.
Regarding value betting, the key lies in sizing your bets correctly for each situation. That means betting the right amount to make your opponent feel he has enough equity in the pot to call. To master this skill, you must understand how much money is already in the pot and how likely your opponents will call your bet.
Think of it as bluffing, but instead of getting your opponents to fold, you’re trying to get them to call. To ensure you make the correct value bets most of the time, try to practice in low-stakes cash games until you get comfortable enough. Once that is achieved, you can raise the stakes.
You’re Comfortable With Higher Stakes
High-stakes poker is particularly intimidating for a few reasons. Not only do you stand the chance of losing considerable sums of money, but high stakes also mean your opponents will likely be more experienced than you. So, even if you are a good player, you will win less than you want to if the stakes are too high for your comfort level.
However, if you genuinely wish to make money by playing the game, you must be accustomed to such situations. Higher-stakes Texas poker cash games are the most accessible way to make money. There is no going around it; you must be more comfortable with such scenarios. By doing so, the better your performance in them will be.
The best thing you could do is play a few games with these stakes occasionally. Keep doing so until you’ve become acquainted with the stakes to play longer and more often. Once you no longer feel anxiety when playing such games, you’re one step closer to playing Texas Holdem for money.
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Your Win Rate is Improving
Your win rate is arguably one of the most critical metrics for your poker performance. Simply put, it’s the number of times you are winning per 100 hands that you play.
Calculating this can help you know how well you’re doing during a cash game session and whether there’s room for improvement. If you haven’t started monitoring it, now is the best time to do so.
Monitor your win rate and ensure it improves before seriously considering taking on the challenge of playing Texas Holdem for money.
Ideally, it would help if you have a win rate of around 5bb/100 hands. That means you’re making an average profit of 5 big blinds per 100 hands played. If your win rate is above that, then you are doing great, and it’s time to take the next step and start playing for real money.
If your win rate is much lower than 5bb/100 hands, it’s best to keep honing your skills and practice more until you consistently win. Once you’ve reached this point, you can finally start confidently playing Texas Holdem for a few extra bucks.
You Donโt Play Hands That Arenโt Worth the Money
Lastly, you should be able to recognize when a hand isn’t worth playing for real money. In other words, don’t force yourself into making bad calls or bluffs just because you are playing for money.
After all, it’s better to fold these situations than throw your hard-earned cash unnecessarily. It takes time to reach this point, but once you’ve developed a solid strategy and understand the importance of folding certain hands, then you are ready to start playing Texas Holdem for money.
Winner Winner Texas Dinner
To play Texas Holdem for money may seem daunting at first, but if you have the necessary knowledge and experience under your belt, you can grab it by the horns and make some decent profits. So, take these tips to heart, practice more, and you’ll be ready to hit the jackpot as you hit the tables.