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POKER SMART

You will see all types of poker players around a poker table.  Even from afar, you could differentiate a pro player from those who still have a lot to learn when it comes to becoming one.  Why do I say that?  Recently, I was invited by a friend to come to a no limit Texas Holdem game hosted by Party Poker just to observe him play and point out things he could improve on.

Things to Avoid

Booze and casinos come together and if all you just wanted is to have fun while playing poker, then go for it.  But if your plan really is to play good poker and win a higher stack of chips than what you had when you started, you should start thinking twice about drinking.  It’s like saying that driving and drinking don’t go together and the same goes for serious poker play.  If you always give the excuse that it’s just a sip, then you shouldn’t hope to win as much as what the next person could get who’s just as good and who isn’t drinking at all.

Another thing I noticed is that playing too many hands will not necessarily mean winning the same number of pots.  However small the pot involved may be, the fact of the matter is that it is still something.  Every little bit counts.  So if you add up your losses due to playing hands and raising bets when you don’t even have a decent hand to begin with is plain foolhardy.  Unless you’re planning on getting a big hand and you just wanted to make your opponents think you don’t have one, then I know you’re into something.  But playing loosely and worst part is other players in the table know it, then you don’t have a way of getting away with anything at all.

Poker Maneuvers and Attitude

Pro players are not only good strategists.  They also have the right attitude when playing poker.  Call it whatever you want but you get to learn pro poker players precisely because they maintain an image of a smart player.  They know when to fold, when to call or raise a bet or check your call.  They learn how to adapt their play depending on their opponents’ actuations on the table.  Unless you learn to shape up and follow their lead, pro players would be a tough act to follow for any wannabe.