Just because you know the rules of Texas Hold ‘em and play with good cards doesn’t mean that you’re a dab hand at the game. There’s more to the game than that. For instance, if you’re a good player of Texas Hold ‘em, you would know just what to do with any hand you’re dealt and can adapt your play to what your co-players do. Here are some steps to follow to be a good player of Texas Hold ‘em:

Read all you can on Texas Hold Em. Familiarize yourself with as much about the game as you can. This will help you understand why your co-players play the way they do.

Keep playing. To repeat anything ad nauseam can introduce boredom, but in the case of Texas Hold’em, it means you perfect your game. So, play as much as you can.

Play just a few hands. New players of this game make the mistake of playing far too many hands. Play a few hands to see the flop and learn the best initial plans.

Play a serious game. By learning to play for free at PartyPoker.com and PokerStars.net, you do get a little experience of playing poker. But that’s not enough because you can’t improve your game here. When you play for money at a casino, you learn the game best and learn to implement the rules of the game. So, to learn the game it’s best to bet money, no matter how small the bet.

Learn when to bluff: Be selective about bluffing, don’t bluff for the sake of using this feature. After all, you stand to lose a lot of money by bluffing often or at the wrong time.

Find out about your opponent. When players have a good hand, they naturally don’t have good “tells,” like coughing or staring at big cards. But you could still examine their betting patterns and develop a pattern of behavior that works to your advantage.

Try using different play styles. It’s right to play tight when you’re a beginner, but when you want to go ahead in your play, turn slightly aggressive or bluff. Now, watch how others react to individual play styles and learn the game Learn how other players react to individual styles of play, particularly when play changes from sober to aggressive. And, if you’ve been playing at a good table and can sense that other players are reading you correctly, begin playing a tight game or loose just to distract them.

When you are beaten, respond by folding. If you’re a good player but don’t believe you have a strong hand, respond by folding instead of waiting in the hope of winning the pot.

Understand what you and your co-players do. Unless you don’t understand the rules of this game and play according to them, you will lose money. So, learn the rules quickly and improve your game of Texas Hold’em.