Fish in Poker - Part II
Gone Fishin’
By J. Phillip Vogel of Bluff Magazine
Nothing’s better than sitting down at a poker table and realizing that you’re surrounded by a group of fish – suckers whose only purpose is to hand you their money.
But are you the fish?-Below are a few basic elements that will help you decide before you get hooked.
You’re a fish if...
…you don’t know when to leave a table. No matter how skillful a player you become, it’ll happen that sometimes things just won’t go your way. Learn to recognize when the cards or the table are going against you and walk away. Hanging on to a table simply because you SHOULD have won several key hands but suffered a bad beat instead is the calling card of a poor player.
…you lose your focus easily.. It’s been said that the typical player reaches their limit of quality play after about six hours. For some players, however, that’s a very generous estimate. Learning to gauge your ability and determine when enough is enough is crucial in poker. Some of the warning signs include apathetic play, improper betting techniques, and playing bad hands simply out of boredom.
…you don’t know the odds. While you don’t necessarily need to know the probability of getting dealt pocket aces (0.45% by the way), good players at least know what their chances are for drawing a specific hand. For example, the probability of making a set on the flop when dealt a pocket pair is 11.8%, while the chances of flopping a flush when you hold two suited cards is 0.8%. Knowing these types of odds will help you to calculate which hands you play, and whether you should stay in to the end.
…you are easily intimidated by other players. Poker is a game of skill, and part of that skill is the art of intimidation. The pros know how to manufacture fear, while rank amateurs know only how to turn tail and run. Yes, it is important to be able to fold quality hands in certain circumstances, but giving up simply because someone re-raises you will ultimately lead to your own doom. Play controlled, but also play aggressively.
All gambling is inherently risky. That’s why we do it. It’s part of the allure. But whereas many casino games require only a decent portion of luck and a basic understanding of the game, poker requires strategy, mathematical ability, luck and a host of special skills, including self-discipline and the art of deception. It is not a game for the faint of heart. Whether you win or lose is determined not only by how well you play your cards, but also by how well you can play your opponents’ cards. And while you may never become a WSOP champ or a headliner on the World Poker Tour, with some practice, experience and a better understanding of the game, you may soon find yourself on the receiving end of a few choice pots.
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