There are some things that make good poker players. Those things are
often not what you think. Often you might think that poker players have
an inside secret or a holy grail that make them awesome.
This couldn't be further from the truth. Poker is something you have to
learn and put time into to become good. Anyone can do it, but it takes
time.
If you're good at your job, it took you time to get good. Numbers get
thrown around but in my case 1,000 hours makes me good at something and
3,000 hours makes me very good.
It can sound un-doable if you try to see all the steps you need to
take. But focus on one step at a time. Think about what you can do
right now. Buy a book, join a forum or get a coach? Remember to keep it
fun and you'll learn faster and won't get frustrated. When you become
serious you take the fun out of it.
Here's a small list with the most important poker concepts, enjoy!
1 - Poker Strategy - It is important but not as important as you think.
Poker strategy is of course essential, but it needs a companion, just
like a car needs four wheels to function. The same is true for poker,
poker strategy cannot stand on its own.
2. Emotional Control - If you do not use discipline in your poker game
then you are missing out. This concept will make or break your success
as a poker player. You can be the best hand reader in the world but if
you play bad when you are running bad then you will never win.
3. Bankroll Management - You have to set proper bankroll management
rules. My rules are to have at least 30 buy-ins for each level I play.
When I drop below 28 buy-ins for the level I am playing I move down.
When my bankroll is back to 32 buy-ins for the higher level I go back
up again. For example if you play $400 NL and have a bankroll of
$12,000 (30 buy-ins) but drop to $11,119 (below 28) you move down to
$200 NL until you have $12,800 (32 buy-ins for 400 NL).
4. Finding The Edge - You have to play where you have an edge. That
means where you can play and make a profit. If you're playing at a
table filled with poker players better than you then you will have a
hard time winning. The money in poker is made from bad players, not
good ones!
That's it! Pretty simple when you look at it like that, isn't it? Now
all you have to do is start learning and having fun. You can also read
my poker website for more elaborate explanations on these concepts.
Have fun!
