A staple game that bonds families and friends, poker has rebranded itself from being a form of gambling activity to a household pastime. You may hear your friends ask you to come over for poker night and you would just give them a funny stare. Be more than just a spectator and join the fun mind-boggling game.

Whether you are playing low stakes with friends or in a casino, physical or virtual, here are some back to basics tips that can help you pull through your first few games successfully.

• Avoid committing amateur mistakes
Know the rudimentary rules of poker by watching a few games first. From there, you would know which moves and mistakes can easily turn you into a laughing stock. Avoid those or be eaten alive. The most common newbie mistake is not knowing when your turn is. Pay close attention, or other players will hate you and might get the opportunity to destroy your strategy easily.


• Know your goal
It is very important that you know your betting goal: is it to try to make other players fold or you are making a value bet? Take time to hammer your thoughts before throwing the chips on the table. A little finesse will help you especially when you are just finding the ropes of the game. But make sure not to place the same bet all the time, or you will be extremely predictable. This is especially true when you are playing poker in an internet casino


• Identify your opponent's strategies
Get your rhythm by trying to pigeonhole your rivals whether they are loose and aggressive or tight and aggressive. This will allow you to guess their strategy and what cards they are holding. This will give you better chances to outsmart them on the first three cards.

A particularly penny-ante game, poker is considered as a mind-sport just like chess. It gives reward through strategic thinking.