Five Tips To Playing Poker Like A Pro
This was published 03-02-2008
So you want to play poker like a pro? You want to be winning millions a year, travelling the globe and living in the fast lane…..is it possible? Yes. In this article, we will cover five strategies employed by the top poker pros that allow them to consistently win at poker and maintain an advantage over the competition:
1. Self Control: Almost all of the majorly successful pros have a strong degree of self-control and discipline not only in life but in the game of poker as well. This is such a vital component of becoming a great player in the game of poker as the temptation to succumb to frustration and go on Tilt is so common and can be deterimental to a players game. All of the top professionals are aware of the effects of frustration and have learned to effectively control themselves when these situations arise.
2. Instinct: Another extremely important attribute that all professional poker players must possess is great instinct and the ability to listen to it. If you watch any of the top players you will see that they have this innate ability to know when something is up and most of the time when they will win or lose a hand. Almost all poker players have this, but learning to listen to it is the hard part. Really listen to yourself when you play poker because most of the time your first instinct is right.
3. Passion: Poker can quickly become a boring game when you are playing 10+ hours per day 6-7 days a week. To become a true pro you need to be dedicated to the game and really enjoy putting in the hours that are required to keep your game sharp. This passion will help you through the days where you fold for hours on end or when you have a poor day playing. Remember, if you don’t love the game, don’t try to be a pro at it.
4. Bankroll: This is probably the most basic aspect of becoming a pro but it is definetely crucial if you truly want to succeed. Far too many people try to turn professional without the proper funding to do so. If you want to play poker professionally, make sure that you have an adequate bankroll to play within your chosen limits and enough money to sustain a bad month at the tables. Underfunded bankrolls are a sure way to ended a pro poker players career.
5. Knowledge: Being a poker pro means knowing all the games, rules, strategies and tricks inside and out. Expect all of your oppenents to have all this knowledge as well so it is important that you constently study, practice and study some more. Most of the top professionals watch countless hours of footage, read hand histories and study their opponents playing styles in order to gain an advantage while playing. This type of research is essential in developing a sound poker game.
Hope you enjoy the article and the tips on playing poker like a pro. If you want to play poker with some real professional such as Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen and others check out Full Tilt Poker. They offer a $600 bonus which you can get by visiting our Full Tilt Poker Page via this link.
