In It to Win It - How to Win at Poker
Poker players know better than anyone, that there are some tough calls to be made when playing poker. These "tough calls" can basically be broken down into four separate actions that take place during a poker match; call (commonly referred to as bet), check, fold and raise. Considering that poker is usually a game of gambling, a poker player must anticipate every move that takes place during the match and determine what the next best move is. The main thing to remember when playing is to choose your next move based on what return you expect to get. Choosing the move that yields the best return can obviously mean the difference between an epic win and a devastating loss.
So rather than looking at poker as just a simple, little card game, look at it from a psychological standpoint. Basically what that means is that during each hand you need to look at and then calculate the odds. Making a bet should only happen when you feel that the return exceeds the odds. When a seasoned poker veteran feels as though he or she has a winning hand, then he or she will most likely increase the bet by as much as possible in hopes of a bigger return.
Anticipating your hand is not the only psychological aspect that comes into play when playing a poker match. Actually, there is quite a bit of psychological strategy that is used by poker players to win.
One thing that is essential when trying to win a poker match is to never form a regular pattern. You want your poker-playing strategy to as complex and hard to read as possible for other players. The reason for this is that a lot of poker players end up winning because they know how to read the other players, therefore having a little insight into the other player's intentions.
One tactic that many poker players deploy during a match is known as bluffing. Bluffing can most simply be described as fooling the other players into thinking that you have a good hand, when you really do not; or vice versa. Take for example, if a player feels as though you have a good hand when you really do not, he or she may fold; one less player to worry about and one shot closer to a potential win. However, as mentioned earlier, bluffing is a tactic and therefore should be used tactfully rather than impulsively.
As you get more experience playing poker, you will start gaining the ability to read your opponents. A player's body language and the way he or she talks are great portals that could potentially reveal their intentions; that is, if you can translate their actions well. One thing to remember is that you are not the only one who may be able to read your opponents. Your opponents may also be able to read you as well, especially if you are playing with seasoned poker players.
Just like with hunting, with poker you have to disguise the way you play in order to get your prey; in the case, a huge pot is your prey. You must learn to disguise your body language and actions so that they do not reveal your intentions. Utilizing all the skills previously mentioned can dramatically improve your poker game.
Poker players know better than anyone, that there are some tough calls to be made when playing poker. These "tough calls" can basically be broken down into four separate actions that take place during a poker match; call (commonly referred to as bet), check, fold and raise. Considering that poker is usually a game of gambling, a poker player must anticipate every move that takes place during the match and determine what the next best move is. The main thing to remember when playing is to choose your next move based on what return you expect to get. Choosing the move that yields the best return can obviously mean the difference between an epic win and a devastating loss.
So rather than looking at poker as just a simple, little card game, look at it from a psychological standpoint. Basically what that means is that during each hand you need to look at and then calculate the odds. Making a bet should only happen when you feel that the return exceeds the odds. When a seasoned poker veteran feels as though he or she has a winning hand, then he or she will most likely increase the bet by as much as possible in hopes of a bigger return.
Anticipating your hand is not the only psychological aspect that comes into play when playing a poker match. Actually, there is quite a bit of psychological strategy that is used by poker players to win.
One thing that is essential when trying to win a poker match is to never form a regular pattern. You want your poker-playing strategy to as complex and hard to read as possible for other players. The reason for this is that a lot of poker players end up winning because they know how to read the other players, therefore having a little insight into the other player's intentions.
One tactic that many poker players deploy during a match is known as bluffing. Bluffing can most simply be described as fooling the other players into thinking that you have a good hand, when you really do not; or vice versa. Take for example, if a player feels as though you have a good hand when you really do not, he or she may fold; one less player to worry about and one shot closer to a potential win. However, as mentioned earlier, bluffing is a tactic and therefore should be used tactfully rather than impulsively.
As you get more experience playing poker, you will start gaining the ability to read your opponents. A player's body language and the way he or she talks are great portals that could potentially reveal their intentions; that is, if you can translate their actions well. One thing to remember is that you are not the only one who may be able to read your opponents. Your opponents may also be able to read you as well, especially if you are playing with seasoned poker players.
Just like with hunting, with poker you have to disguise the way you play in order to get your prey; in the case, a huge pot is your prey. You must learn to disguise your body language and actions so that they do not reveal your intentions. Utilizing all the skills previously mentioned can dramatically improve your poker game.
