Poker Strategy
Poker to the uninitiated is a game that often appears as a game involving a lot of luck and big bluffing. While the game does involve both, luck and bluffing are only elements of what is really a highly skill oriented game. Unlike many highly skilful games, it's a game that is quite easily learned, and so is an easy option to those who enjoy challenging games, but don't have time to spend learning intricate rules.
For seasoned poker players, poker also provides plenty of fresh challenges, if they so wish. There are so many different poker variations, that one lifetime is perhaps not enough for even the brightest minds to master them all. Even within one poker discipline, the skills required to be successful playing for high stakes differs substantially from what will succeed at lower stakes, so the challenge of moving up levels and the need to improve ones game is always there.
Though there are volumes of material on correct poker strategy, there are some core essential elements to the game that players should aim to get right. It should be noted that even the best players can stray from these essentials from time to time. Once they think they have the game of poker mastered is often the time when they start straying from correct thinking.
Essential poker skills
- Tight play
- Aggressive play
- Random play
- Taking advantage of opponents' mistakes
- Emotional Control
Tight Play
Tight poker play means being highly selective of the hands you choose to play with. No matter how skilful or tricky you are as a poker player, it's hard to be a winning player if you are not folding poor and mediocre hands often. Top professionals may be able to play some more hands due to their excellent post flop play. Nevertheless, it is still essential at every level to employ a high selectivity on the hands you choose to play. Ironically it is often the case that novice or poorer players will play too many hands, the very type of player who can least afford to do this.
There is a counter argument of course that beginning players should get involved with many hands and thus learn from their mistakes. However, a better and far cheaper way of doing it is to learn from observing other players mistakes while you are playing conservative poker. Later on when you build up some more experience, perhaps you can start adding in trickier plays, timely bluffs etc. But remember not to stray too far from correct play.
Aggressive Play
There is a saying in poker, if it's good enough to call with its good enough to raise with. While this is not true in all cases, it's still not a bad thing to bear in mind. One essential element of being aggressive with your good hands is you are putting more money into the pot, and hopefully getting others to do likewise when you have the best of it. Those who are aggressive, i.e. raising instead of calling, also put their opponents under pressure, making them uncomfortable and making them more likely to make mistakes either in the current hand or at a later date.
Good aggressive players often have what appears as uncanny timing. They may bluff successfully a couple of times in a row and then the third time when their aggression is coming from a genuine hand, they get the action they want from their opponent who is sick of being pushed around.
Random Play
Poker Players are constantly trying to figure out a player's style. It is therefore essential to mix up your game play enough so your observant opponents can never get a complete fix on your line of play.
Taking Advantage of Opponents' Mistakes
It is important to observe other players tendencies. If a player calls too much, you should be more inclined to raise and bet your genuine hands against them, but avoid bluffing them. Conversely, if a player folds too much, you can bluff them far more liberally. Against a player who plays too aggressively, you should be more inclined to smooth call their bets on the earlier rounds rather than re-raising and scaring them off, thus allowing them to continue their aggression further into the hand, at which point you hopefully make them pay dearly for trying to bully you.
Emotional Control
In the online environment, you of course have no fellow players to see your emotional reactions. Nevertheless, it might be an idea to aim to keep your emotions under check when sitting in front of your PC. While a certain amount of disappointment or excitement is perhaps to be expected on losing or winning a hand, emotions can start to impact your poker play if you are not careful.
Feeling buoyed up after winning say a few big pots can make you overconfident and complacent. While a certain amount of confidence is of course a good thing, poker is such a finely balanced game and the luck aspect can turn against us at anytime. If you can keep your feet on the ground after winning a few hands, and realise how your opponents now react to you differently after such a winning sequence, you can certainly turn this good fortune even more to your advantage.
More dangerous of course is when you are having a bad run. Unfortunately it encourages other players to play better against you, thus making it even more difficult to fight your way back. Nevertheless, if you can keep your composure at those times, then it's possible to turn your bad fortune around. Still at times even the best of us can find our composure slipping. At those times, you really are far better off either taking a break from the game or even just leaving the game altogether. There will always be another game later.
It's a skill in itself, and perhaps one of the most important skills in poker, especially for seasoned players, to recognise those times when your emotions are impacting your game play. Next time you hear yourself whooping for joy or slamming your mouse, think break time!
Considerations for Players Starting Out in Poker
When starting out playing poker, it's a good idea to think whether it's for fun or whether you'd like to become adept at the game. Poker certainly can be played purely for fun, but trying to put in a bit of study will help to make the game even more enjoyable and even some basic knowledge will help immensely in game play.
If you wish to become adept at the game, you must be prepared to study up on the game a lot. One should consider purchasing at least two or three good poker books. A quick search online should provide plenty of results. There are also plenty of highly informative poker forums where players can discuss the game with their peers. The PokerStars website also provides helpful tips written by seasoned poker players for your perusal. In this information age, if you truly want to learn the skills needed to improve your game, that information is out there. It is up to you to take it on board and put it into practice. Good Luck at the tables!
