Play Good Starting Hands
Most good poker books will highlight the importance of good starting hand selection. It is perhaps the most common beginner mistake to play too many hands. Generally speaking, your results will improve if on average you are playing better hands than your opponents.
For example in Hold 'Em, good hands to play are all pairs but especially AA - TT and high cards such as AK, AQ, AJ, KQ, KJ and QJ. Suited hands are a little stronger. Keep in mind that hands such as KJ, KQ and QJ can be dangerous if an opponent has a hand like AK or AQ and you both hit a pair. So be prepared to let these good (but not great) hands go if you get too much action.
As you improve, you will find that you are able to play more hands profitably - hands such as 89 suited and other suited connectors can be very profitable if played well.
Advanced players may even choose to play "weak" hands such as 79 or J8, or even "trash hands" like 73 or 82. Quite often the cards are irrelevant in fact, as they are choosing to "play the opponent" instead. The skill here is to pick the situation well, as it certainly can't be done every hand. It is wise to avoid playing weak hands until you are very experienced.
The Importance of Position
It is an old saying in poker that, "money travels clockwise around the table". There is a good reason for this. It is a big advantage to act after your opponents. For example if the pot has been raised and re-raised before it gets to you, you know that you need a very strong hand to be involved. Likewise, if opponents have checked to you, this is usually a sign of weakness and pots can often be "stolen" with no hand at all. In Hold 'em and Omaha, the "button" is the optimal position to be in. In general, be inclined to play more hands and more aggressively in later position than early position. For example, a common tight strategy would be to only play AA – JJ and AK in first position. But the same player may well play hands such as 68 suited and TQ in later positions.
Play Aggressively
In No limit or Pot Limit games, big bets mean tough decisions for your opponents, and this is good for you. Whether you have a good hand and are betting for value or you are just stone-cold bluffing, it is a good idea to bet strongly.
Remember, by betting small you will find many hands call (often correctly) in the hope of hitting a lucky card. As a result, you will find yourself being consistently outdrawn. So protect your hand and bet big.
Note: Generally bets of 2/3 the size of the pot, or pot sized bets are considered strong bets. But varying your bet size is often a good strategy (see below).
Mix Up Your Game
Keep your opponents guessing. Don't play every hand the same way. This is especially important if you are often playing the same people. If players know you only re-raise preflop with AA, then you are unlikely to see much action!
Think What Your Opponent Could Have......
Don't just focus on your own hand, however good it may be. Keep track of how your opponent has bet in previous rounds and this will give you a good idea as to what he/she may hold. You don't need to be a mind-reader, just ask yourself, why would he/she bet like that? What are they representing? Compare this to your own hand and act accordingly.
As you improve you should be thinking, what does my opponent think I have? And even what does my opponent think that I think he/she has?
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