Poker is a game of math and psychology (with a bit of art for good measure) and there’s a lot to take in at first. Trying to read all the articles, watch BlackRain79’s Youtube videos and learn the game’s language can seem like an insurmountable task. But if you’re serious about improving your poker skills, you have to keep working on it. Otherwise, today’s complacent winner will be tomorrow’s loser and you won’t have a leg up on the competition.
One of the main things to understand is that your hand is only good or bad in relation to what your opponent is holding. For instance, you could hold K-K and win 82% of the time – but what happens if your opponent has A-A? Suddenly your kings are losers, and it’s only a matter of time before you go home with a big loss.
Another thing that you need to improve is your quick-math skills. Being able to assess odds quickly and accurately will help you decide whether or not to call or raise in a given situation. The more you practice your mental arithmetic, the faster and more accurately you’ll be at it.
Taking notes and reviewing your hands are great ways to study your own game, but don’t forget to take a look at the other players too. Learning how to read their body language is an important skill for any poker player, and can give you a huge advantage when it comes to picking up tells. For example, if someone is fiddling with their chips and looking worried, it’s likely that they aren’t playing a strong hand.