Poker champions keep many secrets about playing poker that they would never reveal to amateurs. These “secret” strategies allow them to get ahead and continue winning as most people lose and complain about the game being unfair and hard to play. In this post, we are going to discuss poker secret strategies that poker pros don’t want you to know:
It’s not always about cards
Most beginners focus a lot on cards that have been dealt, and when they go card dead a couple of times, they get frustrated. However, poker champions understand that nearly all hands in Texas Hold’em don’t go to showdown. So, it doesn’t really matter what you have.
When playing with amateurs, one of the key secrets that poker professionals employ is hammering them in position repeatedly and bluff them out of the pot using position.
Don’t show a bluff
One of the most common mistakes amateurs make is displaying their 72 offsuit after bluffing somebody. A poker pro would never do that.
Poker pros know how best to give out such free information. They understand it’s best to let that doubt fester in the minds of their opponents about whether they have been bluffed or not. Showing the bluff is not worth the little ego boost you are looking to get.
Poker is like war; therefore, don’t give your opponents free information.
It’s normal to lose sometimes
Keep in mind that even the best poker players lose. Yes, they do hit losing streaks sometimes and look like complete amateurs while playing. The truth is, like life, poker has a huge element of luck. Sometimes you can be extremely lucky and even win against a world champion.
Poker pros can have bad days or even weeks; however, when enough hands are played (generally speaking), they will emerge winners over amateurs. Skill will triumph at the end of the day. That’s why poker pros exist in the first place.
The secret is that you shouldn’t focus on short-term results. So, don’t give up when one development doesn’t go as planned. You should instead focus on improving the process and good results will come naturally.
Only bet what you can afford to lose
Many people often assume that poker players are irresponsible gamblers who bet to their last penny. Although that’s not entirely wrong, there is still a reason why poker pros make consistent profit.
One of the key strategies that professionals use is managing their bankroll. Pro poker players usually put set aside a certain amount of money that they can use specifically for betting on poker. This will help you to gamble responsibly and still make profit at the end of the day.
Control your emotions
Poker can be a very emotional game, and sometimes, it is really hard to put yourself together. The best poker players can lose $50,000 in a hand and you will never see them flinch. You cannot chase your losses.
Some poker players walk away or end their gambling session early when they lose an unlucky hand. You don’t have to do either of this; instead, be in control. Theirs is no benefit in allowing your emotions to get the better of you at a poker table.
Minimize leaks
Poker players consider mistakes that make them lose money in the long term as “leaks.” These can be simple things like making bad bluffs with ace-king or calling just 5% more often.
However, these leaks which affect the bottom line of a player by 5% may result in a huge loss at the end of the day. To patch up leaks, pokers players try to make some changes to their games. You can use this in your everyday life. For example, if you are on a budget and you buy a Starbucks latte daily, it can be a big leak when you can actually make coffee at home at a smaller fraction of the price.
The secret is analyzing your life and knowing what “leaks” you can be plugged. Every leak that you plug brings you closer to becoming the best poker player.
Choose your opponents wisely
All athletes, whether it is hockey, football, or rugby, want to compete against the best. But when it comes to poker, people want to play against the worst. In fact, it is considered a strategy in poker to use ‘game selection’ to target weaker games rather swimming with the big sharks.
Every now and then, poker players want to take their chances at winning a WSOP bracelet, but real money is the main goal of most poker players. But there is something good about this way of thinking. Maybe your business is going down but it’s because you are competing with giants when there is a better way.
Don’t be the same player
Another poker secret strategy is that you should never be the same player every day. When you play at a poker table, your opponents should experience a different player each day.
You may be playing against a complete freak on Tuesday who’s trying to bluff you every hand, but on Tuesday you may be up against a revamped version of your previous opponent (but the same player).
So, you should be able to switch play style every day. This way, your opponents will not master your tactics and neutralize you.
Find a small edge and then multiple
When online poker was first launched in 2000, it completely changed how people make money from the game. You could make small wins at a live $1 or $2 No-limit hold’em, but you must have an insane win volume to make a huge amount of money because you are playing only 10 to 25 hands an hour.
When you figure out that you can play 4, 10 and 24 tables at the same time, your profit will increase exponentially. Generally, you don’t have to play the hardest games to make a good amount of money because your win rate of 10% is multiplied by the number of tables you play.
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