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Step 1
Patience. Players that play every single hand are usually unsuccessful players. If you chase cards, you can also lose a lot of hands. Chasing cards is where a player stays in the hand on the hope that they hit the cards they want. Wait for the good cards and you will greatly increase your chances of winning.
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Step 2
Understand the other players. This is a vital step in helping you win at poker. Being able to read the other players at the table will help you to make wiser decisions to keep your from losing big money. Loose players can be hard to get out of a hand no matter how big of a bet you make and tight players usually only play when they have a great hand. A few tips: Loose players bluff - a lot. One way to catch a bluff is to raise his bet or check-raise him (meaning check first, let him bet, then raise his bet), then see how he reacts. Tight players usually only play the "nuts" or the guaranteed winning hand. Sometimes a tight player will play this way early in the game but later on will try to steal the pot by making a big bet. If you feel they are only trying to steal the pot, raise their bet and see what they do. If they call your bet quickly, they most likely have a hand so it's best to fold.
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Step 3
Watch the other player's betting habits. This will also give you a read on the players and clue you in on what type of hand they might have. Ask yourself a few questions: Did they bet only on the last card or continuously throughout the hand? Did they bet small at the beginning then get bigger or visa versa? It's very important to your game to read the other players especially to win pots in the later rounds when the blinds are higher.
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Step 4
Learn to bluff. Bluffing is a major part of any poker game and many players do it, especially when playing online. Reading the players comes into play here as it will tell you if they are bluffing or if they have a strong hand. All players bluff at one time or another. You have to bluff at least one hand an hour in order to win overall according to some players.
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Step 5
Keep your emotions under control. Every single player takes bad beats or folds the winning hand at some point or another. If you go on tilt or get upset, you increase your chances for losing. Take a break! Walk around and sit out a hand or two. When you're refocused, you can return to the game.
