Patience in poker is something that a lot of people are guilty of not having. If you find yourself playing most starting hands, the chances are you are doing something very wrong.

It is very tempting to meet the blinds with most handsif the cost is low in order to see the middle cards, even if your starting handis not particularly strong. However, if you keep doing this, you will find that your bankroll will decrease rather quickly. What is more, you will add to the size of the pot in the middle, which will only benefit the player with a good opener. Unless your hand has been significantly improved by the additional cards, the chances are you could be bullied out of it because if somebody makes a sizeable bet, there is no way you can match it.

Despite this, do be careful of only playing when your starting hand is very strong. Your opponents will spot this and will be wary of going in themselves. It is important to play every once in awhile with average cards in order to mix up your style of play. Always be conscious of how you have played in your session and if you do spot a pattern, there is a strong chance this will have also been noted by others around the table.

The amount of starting hands you should be playing will vary depending on how many people are on your table. The less there is, the more you can play. Otherwise you will just be conceding the blinds cheaply. It is also worth noting that the strength of your hand will also change when there are fewer players. When there are less than four people, a high pair is likely to win most pots.