ABC Poker

ABC poker can be defined as being 'no frills' poker, and is a strategy that is best used at Party Poker. It is the simplest form of poker, no complex moves, nothing fancy, just plain and simple poker. There are a few main points which can be determined in playing poker the ABC way; don't bluff, no slow-play, call with a draw hand, check or fold with a weak hand, bet or raise if you have a good hand and play tight at the pre-flop.

There is always going to be a creative or extravagant player, which you will have to ignore their bluff bets and only play with the cards you have in front of you. If you're a 'numbers' player, then use the statistics and work out your percentages if your hand is the best. Party Poker has a built-in statistics feature so you can judge for yourself whether to play a hand or not.

There will always be loose players, especially in low stakes poker games, which can annoy you into folding with their large bets. These passive poker players are best to practice playing simple poker against. If your hand is very strong then match their bets. Let them determine what the pot is going to be. They'll soon run out of chips or out-bluff themselves.

ABC Poker – Too Simple?

The style of simple poker is to be patient and wait for good hands. It might show your opponents that you only play big hands but why risk losing unnecessary funds by playing by chance. Playing the ABC way means you should put your blinkers on to the FPS (Fancy Player Syndrome) players and let them pay out. If you have a strong hand, stick by it. If the stats are showing that you should push all-in, then do so. If you lose on the river or off a bad beat, then chances are you would have lost no matter what you did– and that's the basic facts of poker!

Even the top players play ABC poker as their default choice of style. There's no need to risk your bank with unnecessary raises or being led by a passive or loose player. Your bankroll will see more gains from playing sensible poker. Only in extreme circumstances, such as huge pot odds, players that are easy to read or deception, could you actually utilise that 'poker face'. But with extreme play comes high risks, even if you're certain that you'd win.

When you're just starting out in poker, beginners should learn to play poker the ABC way as it helps protect a small bankroll. Around 80% of poker should be played this way, and the only hands you're missing out on are left up to chance. The risks of loose play outweigh the profits in most circumstances.

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