Poker

Some essential poker skills

Poker is basically a game of skill with some luck-elements involved. That’s exactly why it shouldn’t be subject to legislation regarding online gambling, but that’s a different story.

The skills required to become a successful poker player are diverse, but there are a few which stand out in importance.
Discipline is the most important poker skill. Without discipline, none of the other skills matter, regardless of how well one masters them. The very nature of online Texas Holdem calls for discipline. The most fundamental principle of poker says that whenever someone plays positive expected value situations he/she always wins a little on average (which means you win some even if you take a bad beat and actually lose). When playing negative EV the exact opposite occurs: you lose some money even when you’re winning. Making sure you only play positive EV and having enough self restraint to patiently wait for the opportunities and to avoid hands that could potentially get you in trouble, requires tons of discipline. Every successful poker player is a model of discipline. Do not let the wild bluffs and crazy plays you see on television influence your game. In real life, winning poker has little to do with such moves. It’s much more like a fairly dull job where you need to pay attention to certain things all the time, and simply put in enough hours to let that hourly rate do the job for you.

Another extremely important poker skill is dedication. I know you probably haven’t read about that anywhere, but let me explain why I personally consider it one of the most important skills: If a person really likes the type of activity he/she is engaged in, he/she usually won’t spare any trouble or expense to find out as much about it as possible. Being informed in poker can provide some edges you would never believe possible. Take rakeback for instance. It’s amazing how few people actually know about it, when it is in fact an edge that will positively impact every single hand you’ll ever play. A rookie can’t even begin to comprehend the significance of such an edge, but let me tell you, it can potentially turn a slight loser into a winner, that’s how much it matters.

There are other edges like poker rakeback out there, (game selection, table selection) which have nothing to do with the game itself, yet they provide huge boosts for one’s efforts. Finding out about these edges and putting them to use requires a certain level of dedication. Playing for fun is OK too, just remember, if you find that reading up on certain aspects of the game is too much of an effort for you, don’t expect to ever become a long-term winner.
Flexibility is another extremely important issue. It includes the ability to adapt to certain in-game situations, as well as the ability to capitalize on unexpected circumstances. A good example for this would be the following: you play like a crazed maniac through several dozen hands, you win some, you lose some, but you’re still ahead when a boat hits you on the flop. How do you play that? How could you possibly make the most of it? Do you tighten up, trying to conceal the strength of your hand? No, you bet into it with thirst, and you draw a couple of players in with you who reckon the time is about right to keep you honest.

Whenever you feel the table has you read, you need to switch gears, not missing out on the opportunity to make the most of the fact that you know what the others expect of you. Flexibility is also required when a full handed cash game suddenly turns into a short handed one in the matter of a few seconds. In such cases, you need to recognize the change and adapt to it accordingly, thus gaining an edge on those who are slower to adapt.