Do you aspire to become an ace poker player? Learn to play the cards and the players!
Ask this question to anyone who has played a bit of poker and you will get the same answer. The best way to learn how to play poker is to just start playing and keep practicing till you improve your game. This is not the wisest advice. It is obvious for anyone to learn a particular game is to play and practice. Poker is not a very complicated game. It becomes complex due to the stakes and the manner in which other players approach the game. This is why simply playing poker is not going be of much help for a beginner. An amateur can keep playing for six months and yet remain a beginner or at the best become an intermediate player.
Learn the Game
The first step is definitely to know the rules of poker. There are several types of poker, including regional variants around the world. Choose one type and get familiar with it before you explore another variant. It is better to be a master at one type of poker than being an ordinary player in all the variants.
You must learn the game. Do not just memorize the different types of winning hands in their ranking order. Understand the reasoning. This will enable you to remember the combinations and the order even in the most trying circumstances. You can read books, watch videos and refer to illustrated guides if you want. This level of understanding will help you to know how people respond to different cards as they are revealed. If you cannot read the hands of others, then you can never be an ace player of poker.
Play the Game
Play the game as much as possible. You can play online or offline. You can play with friends and strangers. Avoid betting any real money till you acquire sufficient skills to win. Although you will be playing for free during this phase, keep a count of your win ratio. Do not just play every game, all the rounds and then make a note of the end result. Try to assess every round, all the checks, bets, calls, folds and raises.
Observe the players. Decipher their betting patterns. Do not focus on your own strategy during such assessments. You have to only focus on learning from fellow players. Real exposure offers unmatched experience. If you have a lucid understanding of the game and the players, you can always toy with different tactics and develop your own successful strategy.
