Most poker players from the beginning free poker player upward wants to improve his or her poker skills, be able to read the cards and odds better, bluff like a pro and so on. But many players don’t pay anywhere near enough attention to the types of games they are applying those skills to. This often overlooked factor can have a huge impact on success of failure.
For example, there's an old story about a poker pro who was the sixth best player in the world but never made any money. That was because he chose to only play against the top five best players in the world. The moral of the story is that you make money when you possess a clear edge over your opponents.
Don't be overconfident
Everyone wants to be the best and play the best. It's a matter of pride. However, unless your name is Phil Ivey, you probably won't have an advantage over every opponent in every game. It's also important to recognize that even the top poker pros will sometimes step down a level and play lesser competition because it's more profitable.
If you can't beat players at lower level cash games, you shouldn't try to play at higher level cash games. You're going to go broke trying. Start out on free texas hold em games if you need to and work up from there.
This is true both live and online. For example, I remember one time when I played for a couple hours in a $1/2 no-limit hold'em game at a small casino in Palm Springs, California. I nearly doubled my money without winning a single big pot. The players were passive and loose, and I ran them over by putting pressure on them with big bets and getting paid off for reasonably strong hands. I knew that I picked the right table.
I also remember one time when I played for five hours in a $1/2 no-limit hold'em game at a five-star hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. I barely broke even. The players were tight and aggressive and played back at me when I tried to put a move on them. I knew afterward that I picked the wrong table.
What kind of game to look for
The first thing to keep in mind is your bankroll. If you can't afford to play $5/10 live or $.50/1 online, then you shouldn't do it. You should move down to a more affordable level even free online poker if necessary.
Next, your skill. Be honest now, can you compete at this level? If you can’t or are not sure (and not sure means you probably can’t) then drop down a level or even 2. If needs be play free texas holdem or micro stakes in order to hone your skills and build self confidence.
Once you've decided the level you can beat, you then need to be choosy about the particular table you want to sit at. Ideally, you want to play at a table where you see players making a lot of fundamental errors like playing too many hands or playing too passively. A loose and passive table is probably the most profitable table. A loose game will allow you to win big pots because players will call you down with weak hands, and a passive game affords you the opportunity to hit your draws cheaply and bully your opposition.
If you can’t find a really passive and loose table (that is quite rare sadly) get into the habit of observing regular games before you join. You should be able to get a good feel for if you’ll be able to do the business there. Remember the point is to win. It’s nice to be a good player but not a good player who gets beaten by better players because you couldn’t resist “a challenge” You’ll feel better to be a good winning player trust me! So start fresh now, get more selective with the games you play, if it’s all new to you start with free poker and work up from there.
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