Poker stands strong despite the growth of online casinos, which boast different high-RTP games. This game of chance even has songs written about it. And even someone who has not played it knows players must hold, fold, or walk away. Let’s get into the game that Kenny Rogers once sang about, which soon became a global anthem:
The Beauty of Poker
Casino games fall into two categories: games of skill and games of chance. The latter category is straightforward and excellent for people who don’t want any part in tweaking the game’s outcome. But games of skill, like online poker, are challenging. And yet people gravitate towards them. Why?
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Lucrativity
Poker relies on skills. The better you understand how it works, the better you can be, and the easier it is to beat your opponents. As such, a player can move from playing in $10 games and start wagering $1,000. After all, since the game is not luck-based, leveraging your skills can help you win the jackpot. Players who invest in the game soon start playing in global tournaments where the prizes amount to millions of dollars. As such, poker is a great way to earn money and is a career for many people.
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Better Decision-Making
Many people have trouble making decisions. Even when it comes down to small things like where to eat, they go back and forth in their minds before choosing an option. And often, they delegate the decision. Poker requires players to make tough in-the-moment decisions that determine whether they lose or make money. These decision-making skills spill over into personal and professional relationships, thus bettering one’s life.
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Improved Cognitive Skills
You engage your brain as you place wagers, read your opponents, decide whether to continue with your hand, and bide your time. Science shows that this continuous brain training positively affects one’s focus, judgment, and mathematical skills. As a result, your cognitive decline slows, enabling you to be on top of things for a longer time.
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Enhanced Social Skills
One thing poker will impart to a player is patience. The more you play a game, the more you realize that rush decisions are costly. As such, poker players are often more calculated in their choices, assessing each move carefully. And this makes it easier for them to stay calm in situations where others may not feel as level-headed, e.g., in traffic or during flight delays. Moreover, players become better at reading social situations and can gauge when an environment is conducive for specific conversations.
Poker also teaches discipline. Players learn that to make it to the top, they must keep practicing the game and managing their bankroll.
The Other Side of Poker
While playing poker offers players the chance to make a lot of money, it also has some downsides:
- It takes time to be a good poker player: It would be great if people could join a poker game and win. But that’s easier said than done. Playing poker is not just about knowing the rules but also mastering them to your advantage. You must understand yourself, your strengths, and your weaknesses, to beat other people in their own game. Many people take years to get to the global tournament level. Of course, some players are much faster at getting the hang of things.
- Winning is not a guarantee: You can think of poker as an investment avenue. Some people make it big, while others lose a lot of money. Anyone venturing into this space must make peace with the likelihood of losing money. You can always reduce this possibility by embracing the strategies discussed in the next section.
Additionally, professional poker players do not have a standard income. Sometimes, they win millions in tournaments, and at others, they walk away with nothing. You must know how to manage money to make it through the unpaid months.
Winning in Poker
How can you beat your opponents now that you know what to expect from the game? You will likely have heard many theories on how to play poker. But the approach is easier than some people make it out to be. Instead, you can make it to the top by following these principles:
- Know the rules: Luck has no part in winning this game. So, you must grasp the basics by mastering the rules. Since poker has many variations, you must study the rules that apply to the poker variation if you are not playing the classic game. You can review the rules by watching people play or reading them on the poker site.
- Put the rules to the test: People sometimes make the mistake of reading the rules and wagering on the game. But that is not the right approach. Instead, you should find demo games to practice understanding the rules. These free games allow you to play as often as you want. As you play, record your decisions and how they augured for you. Also, play with other people in a physical setting and see how you perform.
- Address your shortcomings: Everyone has a shortcoming. And in poker, this can be the difference between winning a million dollars and losing it all. So, once you have played tens of games and recorded your decisions, start finding loopholes in your decision-making. Are you underestimating your opponents? Do you go all in too soon? Are you having trouble walking away from a bad hand? These are all mistakes that will cost you in the long run.
- Set a budget: You can never be perfectly prepared for an actual game. So, once you have understood your core mistakes, you should ready yourself for a real-money game. Start by setting a budget that should not interfere with your basic expenses. The budget should have the money you are okay with losing. So, money meant for utility bills, rent or mortgage payments, and other basic needs should not be part of this budget. Else, you can end up in a financial crisis.
- Start with small wagers: Even if you have $5,000 to use on a poker game, don’t use it all at once. Instead, break your budget into smaller amounts and use those chunks on games. You can reinvest what you win to raise your playing capital. But you cannot reach into your pocket to cover playing expenses beyond the budget.
Most importantly, approach each game with a sober mind. Since poker depends on decision-making, playing when drunk, angry, sad, or in any other adverse mental state can hamper good judgment.
