So, you want to learn how to play poker? You know, the easy way? The problem is, the poker learning method that is easiest for other players to learn probably isn’t the best method for you to learn. Probably. That leaves many questions about how to learn poker that you likely don’t know, and I am going to start offering some suggestions here for how to learn poker the easy way.
First of all, it’s important to keep in mind that, yes, poker is actually a game of skill. However, popular stories and Hollywood make it seem like its just a game of luck. Even in the most recent movies, there are a constant series of wins and losses, cascading to the point that you feel like your never going to win no matter what you do. Don’t let that keep you from experiencing the sheer joy of winning, though. The number one lesson is to never allow yourself to think that poker is a game of luck. You know, the easiest way to learn anything is to teach someone else what you know. The only slow, methodical way to learn anything is to write about it. Write about your ideas, your observations, your experiences. Express yourself. Blog about what you’re doing.
During your travels, no doubt, you will run into a few poker88 players. The first thing you need to do is vet them before you play them. Find out what their tells are. Are they quick to check, or is each poker player’s actions more of a culmination of his cards, or in some instances, his personality? Once you’ve judged this, then you can watch what they do when they get their hands on a new card. Is the guy sitting back, leisurely, waiting for the big hand? Does heTsfta everyone at the table? Is he aggressive or passive? Or, does he just sit there, sizing everyone up, like a guard sizing his enemy?
The second thing you need to do is watch a table for a while before you start playing. While you are watching, take mental note of the players, and watch their reaction to different situations. This action will serve as a good alert for when you are playing. Are they hesitant to commit? That’s a sign of a weak hand. When someoneiti everything down, such as “I have AK” or “I want to raise”, that’s a sign of a great hand. Wait for a better hand. Are they thinking about raising, but doesn’t say it? That’s a sign of calculation. They’re trying to make you think they’re weak. Believe it or not, there are a lot of poker players that just think they’re better than you.
The third thing to remember is that a lot of poker players, especially online, are going to be terrible players. This is just the way it is. They don’t care. They’re not playing to win, they’re playing to lose, and realize that most players are complete nits. There are a lot of these online poker players that just plod into games, lose, and then complain about it. But this is also the way most people think too. Lose and repeat. Win and repeat.
Another key to becoming a great poker player is to realize that you’re going to lose more than you’re going to win. I’ve watched numerous poker players turn their sucked-out, painful losses into successful tournaments and live poker tournaments. You can do this by not really giving it much thought, not really cares if you win or you lose. You just want to win. This is when you need to have a lot of patience. No one handed you a $1 million check. You’re going to want this. You want to win that check. You want to earn it. This is when you need to be able to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and move on to the next hand.
Don’t ever think, you can’t lose. You’re only human. You’re going to lose more than you’re going to win. As tempting as it is to hang around for the last hand, the last hand will only start when you’re not in the hand. You’re going to make some bad beats you’ll have to deal with and you’re going to feel awful for it. But you shouldn’t allow it to get you down. You just have to move on.
This is also a good time to teach and learn from your weaker players. You don’t necessarily have to play with them, but it would be a lot more fun and beneficial to learn from them. You can ask anything and have any question answered, you just have to ask. “How many outs do you have?” or “Do you think the big blind is on a flush draw?”
Teach new poker players some hand ranking forces to play with.
