There are 2 important things to note, that many beginners, or non-poker players fail to understand:
poker is not a game of luck!
Sure, there’s luck involved since the dealing of the cards is random, but you’re not betting just based on the cards – you’re betting based on whether or not you think you can beat your opponent with the cards you have, a subtle but very important difference!
Remember we said that there were 2 ways to win a pot – either have the best hand at showdown, or be the only one left in the pot! Well that means that in certain cases it’s possible to win with the WORST hand!
Poker is a social game. In fact more than that, it’s a people game. Your success in poker will be highly dependant on how you learn to read people, notice their betting habits, and their tells. Become an expert at reading people and you’ll become an expert at poker!
the aim is to win money, not pots!
This is one of the biggest mistakes that beginners make – they focus on winning pots (hands) rather than winning money. But pots vary in size, and other factors such as the blinds make a difference to how profitable each pot is. Let me explain with a simple example.
Let’s say you and I play a game of poker head’s up (just 2 players). Each hand I place a small bet of $5 and you raise another $5 (meaning there’s $1 in the pot – ignoring the blinds). Each time I fold meaning you win the pot, so each hand you are $5 better off.
Now after 10 hands you have won $50 but on the 11th hand, rather than folding I re-raise to $100 and you call. Now this pot is $200 and assuming no more betting, I show the best hand at the showdown and win the pot.
See what happened? You won 10 hands and won £50, but I then take a single pot and won £100! You won ten times as many pots, yet I won! While we’re on the subject of money and poker I should also make this point – poker is really only poker when it’s played for money. Sure, you can while away the evening betting matchsticks but people won’t react the same if all that’s at stake is matchsticks or “play money”. Most of the strategies and tactics to be a winning poker player only make sense when playing poker properly – for money!
Poker requires patience, nerves and cunning. You need to wait for the right hand, read your opponents well, know when to raise, and when to fold…
Poker is an amazing game, and I hope these articles will help you to begin to understand it, enjoy it, and hopefully win at it!
