Poker, as all other sports (because poker is considered a sport nowadays, along with chess) is not for everyone. Although many consider it to be a game of chance, it is not – actually it is much more a game of skill and strategy, much like the above-mentioned chess, where making the right decision can change the outcome of any game. Good poker players need a certain set of skills to be able to perform best at the poker table – or at an online poker room, for that matter. Here are the traits that are necessary for a player to become a poker pro – if you don’t have them, you’d better stick to playing the table games at an online casino.
1. Perseverance
There are so many people today that live by the rule that “if at first you don’t succeed, it’s not for you”. This is wrong on so many levels. If players let themselves be intimidated by the inevitable losses at the beginning of their poker career there is no way for them to become professional players. I think the better way of saying this would be “If at first you don’t succeed, learn from your experience and try again”.
2. Experience
The longer one plays, the better player one becomes, or “repetitio est mater studiorum”, as the Latin proverb says. The more hands a player plays, the more he or she can rely on experience rather than thinking ahead and the faster one can adapt to the situation at hand. Experience is important in every aspect of our lives, and in poker it is one of the things that make a great player.
3. Bravery
Taking risks is important in poker. Any player reaches a point when staying in his or her comfort zone is not an option any more. Breaking out of the box, risking higher stakes and sometimes losing is the only way for players to improve after a certain point. They say it’s good to be beaten by the best, as you can learn a great deal about the game in the process.
4. Adaptability
Every game of poker is a battle fought by generals with cards in hands, each one of them using different strategies to take over their opponents and grab the prize – the money in the pot. Players with a flexible mind adapt better to the situation at hand and learn faster about the strategy used by their opponents, grabbing opportunity by its hand and winning as often as possible.
5. People reading skills
If you think poker is all about the cards, you are wrong. Reading an opponent fast and finding out how they are going to react to a situation is crucial in any poker game. Bluffing can win a game that seems lost from the beginning. Reading people’s reactions when they see their cards and the “small signs” is among the most important things at a poker table. When playing poker online, one can’t read the opponents’ faces, of course. Still, there are things to watch online as well – betting habits, that can give away the value of the player’s cards.