Poker for Beginners: Tight-Aggressive Play Made Simple

By Alex Carter • Last updated: 2026-02-12

• A five‑minute hand that changes your week
• Who this guide is for
• What tight‑aggressive (TAG) means
• Preflop made simple
• TAG quick‑start cheat sheet (table)
• Shortcuts by position
• One postflop line that prints
• Five leaks that kill TAG
• Bankroll, variance, and tilt control
• Your 7‑day micro‑stakes plan
• Live vs online: same plan, small shifts
• Toolbelt and next steps
• Mini‑glossary
• Quick FAQ
• References and further learning
• Editorial notes and disclaimer

A five‑minute hand that changes your week

You sit in a $0.05/$0.10 cash game with $12.50. Cutoff opens to $0.25. You are on the Button with AQo and make it $0.80. Blinds fold. Cutoff calls. Pot is $1.75.

Flop is A♠ 7♦ 2♣. He checks. You bet $0.55 (small, to keep worse Aces in). He calls. Turn is 9♥. He checks. You bet $1.20. He calls. River is 3♠. He checks again. Many new players check back. You count. Worse Aces call. Missed draws fold. You bet $2.80. He sighs and calls with A8o. You win a pot near $7. You did not get lucky. You made a tight‑aggressive line, and you got paid.

That is what this guide gives you. A clear plan you can use today, even if poker feels big and hard right now.

Who this guide is for

This is for new players and early grinders at the lowest stakes. You will leave with a simple preflop plan, one clean postflop line, a small list of leaks to fix, and a 7‑day plan. No fluff. No big theory words without help. We keep it tight.

What tight‑aggressive (TAG) means

TAG is not a vibe. It is numbers and spots. In hold’em (see the core Texas Hold’em rules), your job is to play fewer hands, raise first, and bet when you have the lead. In stats, that means VPIP around 15–20% and PFR around 12–18% in micro cash. You choose good hands more often. You fold junk. You attack first.

Two ideas sit under all of this: position and initiative. When you act last, you see more; when you raise first, you win more. Charts help, but these two ideas pay the bills.

Preflop made simple: three defaults

You can live on three moves: fold, raise, 3‑bet. No cold calls for now. Your open ranges by seat:

• UTG (early): 99+, AQ+, KQs
• MP: 77+, ATs+, KQs, AJo+
• CO: 55+, A2s+, KTs+, QJs, KQo, ATo+
• BTN: 22+, A2s+, K9s+, QTs+, JTs, 65s+, A9o+, KJo+, QJo
• SB (first in): play close to CO, but fold more trash. Raise a bit larger.

3‑bet for value vs tight opens: QQ+, AK. If the opener is loose, add JJ and AQs at times. Out of position, keep it strong. In position, you can add a few suited hands as bluffs later, but not yet.

Seat power drives it all. Read up on poker position basics if this is new. Quick rule: the later you act, the more hands you can raise.

Quick rules of thumb:

• UTG: if your offsuit Ace is worse than AJo, fold.
• CO/BTN: suited hands go up in value. Raise them more often.
• Blinds: fold more. These seats lose fast if you stretch.

TAG quick‑start cheat sheet (micro‑stakes cash)

Save this. It is short on purpose. It tells you what to open, what to 3‑bet for value, where to slow down, and which boards help you c‑bet by default.

Note: “r” = rainbow, “ss” = two of the same suit. When in doubt on low, wet boards, slow down.

Shortcuts by position

In position (IP) is gold. Out of position (OOP) is hard. Fold more OOP. Expand on the Button. The Button prints. The Small Blind bleeds if you get loose. Do not defend weak offsuit hands from the blinds vs early opens. In the Big Blind vs late opens, you can call more suited hands, but still fold the junk.

One postflop line that prints

Pick one core plan: raise first, then c‑bet often on dry, high‑card boards. Bet small on dry boards (33–50% pot). Bet bigger on wet boards (60–70% pot). With top pair, strong second pair, and your best draws, keep betting unless the board turns bad. With weak pairs that can show down, check back more on the turn and river.

This works because fold equity adds to hand equity. If your foe folds some hands, your bet makes money right now. Want to see the math roots? Scan the odds on poker probabilities later.

Micro hand example

$0.02/$0.05. Stacks $5. You open CO to $0.12 with KQs. BTN calls. Blinds fold. Pot $0.31. Flop A♣ 7♦ 2♠. You c‑bet $0.10 (small). BTN folds 66, 55, KJ, QJ, weak suited stuff. You win 31 cents. Easy.

Second hand with heat

$0.05/$0.10. Stacks $10. You open BTN to $0.25 with J♠ T♠. BB calls. Pot $0.55. Flop 9♠ 8♦ 2♣. You have an open‑ender plus backdoor spades. You bet $0.35 (bigger on wet boards). BB calls. Turn 3♠. You gain a flush draw. Bet $0.90. BB folds mid pair a lot. If called, you still have many rivers to win. This is tight‑aggressive: start with strong ranges, press when boards fit you.

Five leaks that kill TAG

Fix these first. In cash or in events (if you try events, check official tournament rules to avoid mistakes):

1. Limping. It sets traps for you, not for them.
2. Cold‑calling 3‑bets OOP with hands like KQo, AJo. They are crushed by QQ+, AK.
3. Firing turn barrels with no equity vs calling stations. Save your chips.
4. Calling down “to see it.” Curiosity burns money.
5. Under‑folding rivers vs tight lines. Strong lines mean strong hands at small stakes.

Bankroll, variance, and tilt control

Cash games: keep 30–50 buy‑ins for your stake. If you play $0.05/$0.10 with a $10 buy‑in, aim for $300–$500. Tournaments are swingy. Hold 100+ buy‑ins at least.

Size your risk. Do not chase. If you like math, read the Kelly Criterion to see why small edges need small bets.

Build a tilt stop: when you feel heat, stand up for two hands. Breathe. Write one rule you will follow always (for me: “no hero calls vs nit rivers”). Remember: long break‑even runs can be normal even when you play well. If you need support, seek responsible gambling help.

Your 7‑day micro‑stakes plan

1. Day 1: Read this once more. Print the cheat sheet. Set VPIP/PFR goal: 18/16.
2. Day 2: Play 1–2 tables for 60–90 min. Use the open ranges as written. No limps.
3. Day 3: Drill the c‑bet line. On dry high‑card flops, bet small. On wet flops, bet bigger.
4. Day 4: Focus on blinds. Fold more OOP. Defend more suited hands vs late opens in BB.
5. Day 5: Make “3‑bet or fold” your rule vs opens when OOP. Cut the flat calls.
6. Day 6: Review five hands. Ask: did I have position? Did I keep range strong? Did I fold fast when stuck?
7. Day 7: Write a tilt plan. Set stop‑loss (2 buy‑ins). Set a time box (90 min). Take a walk after each session.

Want a free, short course to add depth? Try the MIT poker theory mini‑course. Watch one video this week and try one idea at the table.

Live vs online: same plan, small shifts

Live games have larger open sizes and more callers. Value bet more. Bluff less. Online games have more 3‑bets and smaller opens. Fold more to heat. Steal wider on the Button. When you pick a room or a stake, pick soft games. Game select like a pro: look for short stacks, many limpers, and players who chat about bad beats.

Swings are part of the ride. To see how big a swing can be, play with a variance calculator and test your win rate and volume. This calms the mind.

Toolbelt and next steps

• Odds/equity app: any free one works to learn draws and outs.
• Hand tracker: even a simple spreadsheet. Log date, stake, hands, big wins/losses, tilt note.
• Solver for later: browse PioSOLVER to see what theory lines look like. Do not rush this. Play first.

If you need a safe room to start and want a clear view of rake, traffic, and payout times, see our trusted hub at https://casinoguiden.biz/. We test KYC steps, cashout speed, and support, so you can sit and play with less fuss.

Affiliate note: some links may be affiliate. We only list rooms that pass our safety and fairness checks.

Mini‑glossary

New to terms? Keep this open or see the full glossary of poker terms.

• VPIP: Voluntarily Put $ In Pot. How often you play a hand.
• PFR: Preflop Raise. How often you raise first in.
• 3‑bet: The re‑raise before the flop.
• C‑bet (continuation bet): The bet you make on the flop after you raised preflop.
• In position (IP)/Out of position (OOP): Act last/act first on each street.
• Blockers: Cards in your hand that make it less likely a foe has a hand.
• Implied odds: Chips you can win on later streets if your draw hits.
• Fold equity: The value you gain when foes fold to your bet.

Quick FAQ

Is TAG too tight or dull?

No. TAG cuts the junk and plays pots that pay. You still see action. You just pick better spots. You win more because you fold more.

What stakes and table count should I start with?

Start at the lowest cash stake your site offers (often $0.01/$0.02 or $0.02/$0.05). Play 1–2 tables. Move up when you win over 30k+ hands and have at least 40–50 buy‑ins for the next level.

Do I need a solver right now?

No. You need reps, a range plan, and basic c‑bet lines. A solver helps later when leaks shrink and you want to tune bet sizes and mix.

How do I stop tilt in the moment?

Stand up. Two hands off. Breathe. Name the trigger (“bad beat,” “bluff got called”). Then follow one rule you wrote in calm hours. For deeper work, read The Mental Game of Poker.

Is 20 buy‑ins enough?

For cash, 20 is thin. Swings can bite. Aim for 30–50. For MTTs, 100+ is safer. Your stress drops when your roll is deep.

References and further learning

• Texas Hold’em rules — base rules and formats.
• Position in poker — why acting last is power.
• Poker probabilities — odds and draws at a glance.
• WSOP tournament rules/structures — official docs.
• Kelly Criterion — how to think about risk sizing.
• MIT poker theory mini‑course — free videos and notes.
• Poker variance calculator — model swings.
• PioSOLVER — study tool for later.
• Glossary of poker terms — quick term check.
• The Mental Game of Poker — tilt and mindset.

Author, editorial, and disclaimer

About the author: Alex Carter has played micro and small‑stakes cash since 2014. Usual games: $0.05/$0.10 to $0.50/$1. Coaching: beginner groups, local club talks. Writing: strategy posts and hand labs since 2018.

How we fact‑check: Ranges tested at micro stakes, compared vs tracker pools. Odds checked vs standard probability tables. Links go to official or high‑trust sources.

Disclaimer: Poker has risk. Never play with money you cannot afford to lose. Examples here are for learning. Results vary by game, pool, and rake. If you choose to use affiliate links, note we may earn at no extra cost to you.

Update log: 2026‑02‑12 — First release with cheat sheet, two hand examples, and 7‑day plan.