Improving Your Poker Game
Poker is a game that puts an individual’s analytical, mathematical and interpersonal skills to the test. It is also a game that indirectly teaches life lessons.
While some players are convinced that poker is simply a game of chance, the truth is that luck plays a much smaller role in winning hands than many amateur players think. This is because players can control a large amount of the variance in their results through studying bet sizes and position.
The first step in improving your poker game is to focus on reading your opponents. This is a critical skill that most players overlook. This doesn’t mean that you should be looking for subtle physical poker tells like scratching your nose or playing nervously with your chips. Instead, pay close attention to your opponent’s betting patterns and categorize them into one of four basic player types: LAG’s, TAG’s, LP Fish or super tight Nits.
Once you understand your opponents it’s time to work on the rest of your game. It’s important to practice your basic strategy and play a lot of low stakes games before you move up the limits. This way you can learn the game versus weaker players and build up your bankroll without giving away your money to more experienced players. Also, if you don’t have any experience with a particular game it’s best to start off small to avoid making big mistakes and losing your entire bankroll.