Poker is an old game — more than two hundred years old, in fact — yet it remains highly popular. Right now, it might be more popular than it’s ever been. The rise of online poker has helped to take the game global, and today there’s a reported 100 million regular poker players.
From the outside, it can seem that simply understanding the game, let alone playing well, is challenging. But that’s not the case. With enough effort, a beginner can become an expert player in as little as six months. We’ll run through what newcomers need to know below.
Spend a Week Learning the Basics
Learning how to play poker isn’t as easy as learning to play, say, blackjack. But equally, it’s not as difficult as it is to learn bridge or chess. Anyone can learn how to play the game in around a couple of hours. However, if you’re aiming to become a great player, then it’s recommended to spend a little more time learning. Read about poker, its history, variants, and gameplay for a week, and you’ll be ready to dive into playing.
Play Against a Mix of Players
Most people begin playing poker with their friends, which provides a great introduction to the game and its overall culture. However, while you may wish to keep those weekly games with friends going, it’s essential that anyone looking to become a great player competes against a wider variety of people. Online poker is available at sites like https://www.pokerstars.uk/poker/, making it easy for developing players to test their skills against others of different abilities. It can also be worthwhile finding local tournaments to play in since they can be a great way to unlock new skills that’ll improve your play once you return to regular cash games.
Invest in Classic Poker Books
It has never been easier for new poker players to improve their skills, and that’s thanks to the vast array of poker-related resources that are available. You’ll find plenty of nuggets of poker wisdom online, but to seriously develop, it’s best to commit some time to reading some of the classic poker strategy books that have been released over the years. All the best players read them. The Theory of Poker (David Sklansky), Harrington on Hold’em (Dan Harrington), and Winning Poker Systems (Norman Zadah) are just a few of the books you should have on your bookshelf. Buy them, read them, study them, and then supplement your understanding of the game by consuming the online material that’s widely available.
Observe Your Opposition
You’ll hear many poker teachers talking about the importance of observing your opposition since you identify weaknesses that can help you get the upper hand in a game. And they’re right — you should do that. But there’s another reason why you should take note of what your opponents do with their cards: it’ll allow you to learn what good players do, and the mistakes that bad players make. It’s much easier to make progress when you know what separates the good players from the bad.
Commit To Improving
Speak to any great poker player, and they’ll tell you that improving their gameplay is a lifelong commitment. The best way to set yourself apart from the rest is to follow that path yourself. There’s always something new to learn, but the majority of players don’t make the effort. Study a few hours a week, and you’ll be a great player in months.
Focus On Your Defeats
Finally, the players who make the most progress are the ones who spend some time analyzing what happened during their performance. There’ll be days when you play well, and days when you play poorly. You’ll learn from both days, but understanding where you made mistakes will be better for your gameplay in the long run. If you can shore up those weak points, then you’ll soon become a formidable player.
