Ace of Spades: Turning the Luck into Your Favor

The title of this article kind of makes it seem like I’m about to encourage you to cheat, but that’s not what I’m here to do. I’m here to tell you what you can do when it comes to poker that allows you to get ahead of the game. While some of these tips might not be necessarily applicable to online poker, for poker where you are sitting around a table, these tips can tip the scales into your favor.

Know the People

If you find yourself at a table somewhere where you don’t know the other players, take a little time to know the tendencies of each player. One might only bet big if he has a good hand, one might be very hesitant no matter what card he has and the other might flick his hair when he is lying. Every single person at that table has a ‘tell’ for when they have something good or for when they are bluffing, especially in Poker, when you are all trying to beat each other. Take some time, get to know the people at the table and even get them talking. It could create a way in which you can win more money, just from being able to read the other players.

Be conscious of your own tells

If you have the chance, play a friendly game of Poker and have a friend watch you as you play. Have them after the game tell them what you are doing in the way of body movement depending on the hand you are on. It’s extremely important to know what you do, and be able to stop it. Especially if you know you touch your face when you might be able to use this to your advantage in ways I don’t even want to explain. While these two tips don’t work online, they can change the balance in your favor during an offline game of poker.

Just Give Up

If it is not your night, if you have been fighting with your significant other, just don’t play. Whether offline or online you might feel the urge to do so, but try to resist. While it might act as your stress reliever; your mind will not focus on the game and in a game where your money is on the line, this is a serious issue. From here you have to make sure to change any habit that you think is costing you money, whether that is staying up until 3 in the morning to play and feeling fatigued while playing or not drinking enough water. If you feel you aren’t in peak Physical condition, don’t bother playing. It’ll end up being a waste of time and money.

Know the Rules; Know the Hands

In Poker, the best hand is a four of a kind and an ace combination. That is the best possible hand (figuratively) but the probability of getting it is very low. Know this when you go into a game and you will see your play improve dramatically. Know what you can have and what your opponents can have. Use probability and their reactions to make sure that if you are going into a hand that you can win, but going into a hand that is a calculated risk and has a chance of winning is better than hoping for the best.

Just watch your play and keep everything in mind. Poker is as much a game of outwitting your opponent as staying mentally sharp yourself. You have to know what to do and when to do it. You have to make sure you are watching your own play as well as others. You have to know when to ‘hold’em’ and when to ‘fold’em’

Author Bio:

Jeremy Henderson is an expert in all forms of poker and this is possibly because he is so passionate about the game. His expertise has helped him win at a number of tournaments and in turn he has made a comfortable living playing the game. He is also a voracious reader and an avid writer.