This is part 2 of a beginner’s poker primer assembled with the help of the folks at Everest Poker. If you want to find part one, which deals with table seat selection, and how REAL poker games are played outside the movies, I suggest you do a search on “Master Your Nerves and Have a Seat at the Poker Table” and then come on back.

Now, on to part two…

In the 52-card deck, there are 1,326 variations of 2-card Texas Holdem starting hands. Of those combinations, 78 of them are pairs. Remember this, because odds are critical in poker. Yes, even more important than the dark sunglasses everyone wears at the World Poker Tour on TV. Pocket cards are the foundation of all the educated guesses and bluffs you’ll be making throughout the hand. Of course, if they stink, fold them–you don’t need to act on every hand to succeed at poker, remember?

As you look over the table, you’ll no doubt see stacks of chips piled up neatly in front of each player. If you haven’t figured it out by now, these are the chips you’ll use to bet. Before you go throwing your chips around the table like a fish (it’s poker slang, look it up), always think before you bet. Don’t rush. Have you completed your ideal hand with the pocket cards and the ones dealt to the table by the dealer? Are you On the Draw, waiting for a better hand? Watch your opponents betting habits. Are they acting like they have completed their hands? Which hands do you think are beatable with your current cards? These are all things to consider before your first chip travels into the pot.

Lastly, image is everything. For every calculated move you make, and for every mental note you take about your opponents, they are doing the exact same thing to you. This battle of wits is really what draws players to the poker felts year over year, more so than the money or cards. Well, maybe not the money, but image is still paramount to success at the table. In that vein, it helps to track yourself, as well as your opponents. Remember your raise and call bets, and remember that repeating certain actions, like aggressive raising, are seen by all players. And don’t forget the art of “mucking,” which simply means you can decline to show your cards at the conclusion of a losing hand. As with all things in life, however, moderation is key, so muck wisely.

Control what you allow your opponents to see, and you’ll control your image–and possibly the game itself.