Okay, nailing down the concept of poker is not an easy feat, so if you understood the rules of the game and had a pretty nice grasp of its concept, then, very good for you. But if you’re thinking that given the newly acquired knowledge you just had, you can start trumping the pros on a big poker tournament table a few weeks from now, well, you see, I’ve got news for you, think again! Poker is a highly entertaining game, though the rules are pretty easy to digest, mastering it requires a lot of patience, experience, guts and a great player strategy. Poker pros spent a big amount of their time perfecting what they consider their craft; varying their strategies and learning to read and decipher the actions of their opponents so they can turn those to their own advantage. These poker professionals are not made overnight and certainly, a handful of winnings won’t instantly make you the next big poker star; well, at least not yet. But dreaming big means investing on that dream and working harder to achieve it.
First is to gain lots of exposure. Practice. Start with low-key poker tournaments, then work your way to the top. You may not always win but at least you’re getting a lot of experience. If you continue on doing this, you’ll soon hit it big in no time.
Second, learn to discipline yourself. Manage your actions well. Remember that your competition is observing you ever so slightly so they can catch a hint of what kind of hand you might have. Be patient. You can’t possibly bet on every hand that you’ll get, you’ll need to sit some out and wait for a good one to arrive.
Third, exercise proper etiquette. Poker is a strategy game, it requires concentration from players. Rude remarks, taunting, or improper gestures towards another player are not tolerated; these may cause you to get eliminated from the game.
Lastly, make sure to have fun. Pros might be playing for massive amounts of money but they still need to have fun once in a while, after all that’s what playing poker is about – fun.
