When I was first learning to play poker, I read the Annie Duke, John Vorhaus book, Decide to Play Great Poker: A Strategy Guide to No-Limit Texas Hold’em. Right away I picked up one single nugget of advice that–for me–was very helpful:
“IF THIS HAND WEREN’T SUITED, WOULD I STILL PLAY IT?” If the answer is “no,” then muck it.
It cured me of magical thinking about suited cards. Is there ONE piece of advice you remember learning that has made a difference in your game? If yes, let’s hear it!
“Avoid wishful thinking.”–my father.
Definitely Marc’s poker rules when he stresses the importance of patience!
“Hope is not a strategy…” possibly first stated by Vince Lombardi
If you’re not sure your opponent is bluffing, just rip it all in. You’ll find out.
always better to fold top pair and lose a little than bet and lose a lot
There are only two ways to win at poker long-term: Convince your competitors to over-commit their equity, or to fold it off. Everything else is just luck and variance.
Dont chase too much and if you do then make sure you are chasing the card that will deff take down the pot and see each card for the least amount possible. Also whenever you have the highest possible hand on the board then check/raise as much as possible and the pot you win will be worth much more than if you dont. Check/raising is one of if not the most profitable moves in poker that too many players dont use.
“There is no shame in folding.”(Unknown) & “Never go broke with only one pair.” (Phil Gordon)
An extremely good player posted this piece of advice somewhere on this forum some time ago.
If it’s not worth a raise, it’s not worth a call !
Whoa–that would definitely stop me from some of my blunders. Thanks, Flashlight!
This is absolute truth, and it’s another thing I say to myself when I’m facing a very difficult fold.
Winning or losing isn’t as important as being well groomed and wearing nice shoes. - SPG
I see you win a great deal, and now I know why!
What i am saying is to not get too attached to outcomes and focus on the process. If one is well groomed and has nice shoes, their real life can’t be that bad. Will winning or losing some play chips change anything in your real life?
It will if you let it, so why let it?
You might have heard me say that apathy is the great liberator. I want to play well, but sometimes I make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes are a chance to learn and progress… opportunities. Should I get upset over having these opportunities?
Everyone has bad beats. EVERYONE. This includes the best professional players in the world, and it includes the most inexperienced players, and it includes everyone in between. Good players step up and dig in, weak players give up and give in.
Mental strength is every bit as important as the strength of your hand. If you can’t leave your feelings at the door, they will put you on the floor. If one plays to play well, they will win. If one plays to win, it’s hard to play well.
thank you for those words of wisdom I do try to play to learn so getting beat does not really bother me maybe if its a real bad beat i may contemplate it for a few minutes but after that i always put it down to valuable experience because thats what it is at the end of the day dont know if thats a bad outlook on my behalf but it allows me to quickly get into the next hand
I like that sentiment thank you for sharing that with every one thats one of those quotes that sinks in immediately yeah i will employ that thought from now on
thank you i will try that as well
Two things I do not do until I’m showered and dressed for the day: Knit and play poker. Both tasks require that I approach with respect and a focused mind. You have expressed exactly why I do that.
Watch this 3 minute video before you play. How you think about the game is the most important thing, IMO. Bencb is one of my favorite people in poker - great coach, great person. The video is targeted towards aspiring pros but the message is important for anyone who wants to succeed at this game.
