The 5 Steps From Poker Beginner to Pro Poker Winner

The 5 Steps From Poker Beginner to Pro Poker Winner
The progression from online poker "play money" to "wa-hay" money!

THE FIRST GAME
Whilst it is impossible to take a person who has just played their first “play money” game of Texas Hold’em and turn them into a professional in a few weeks, I maintain it isn’t difficult to suggest a progession of logical events which will assist the inevitably slow and sometimes painful experience of learning how to swim with sharks.

THE BASICS
First: The first thing to gain from “play money” poker is a basic understanding of the mechanics of the game. It won’t teach you much about the psychology of poker because that changes immediately actual cash becomes involved.

THE SELECTION
Second: Select the kind of cash game you get involved with very carefully. Find a game that suits your bankroll. You can’t play well if you are financially intimidated. Remember a skilful player playing another skilful player is much less likely to make money than a reasonably good player taking on a bad player. Selection applies on lots of levels. Always try to select opposition you think you can beat even though your ego wants you to compete with the best you’re able. You get better at poker by winning more often than you lose. It keeps your confidence up.

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THE EMOTIONS
Third: All action decisions you make in any game of poker must be arrived at based on the kind of opponents you are facing and the type of game you have chosen. NEVER make decisions based on your frame of mind. You’d be amazed at how many players use poker as a way of expressing their emotions. Costly mistake.

THE POSITION
Fourth: Become fully aware that the higher up the stakes scale you climb as your game improves, the more critical your position at the table becomes. Whilst it makes very little difference when only small stakes are involved “position” becomes the equivalent of holding a hilltop with your enemy below you in big stake battles.

THE REWARDS
Fifth: Realise that when you are as cool and experienced a player as you ever dreamt you could become you will tend to want to play for large sums of money. Those kinds of tables are populated by people who are as cool and as experienced as they ever dreamt they might become. So you’re back to square one but playing for fortunes. At that point the expression “Good Luck” may be appropriate for the first time in your poker development.