Discipline or The Art of Poker
Discipline in every sport is an important factor to success on a regular basis. This holds true of poker as well. Even though most considerate it to be a game of chance, to be a money making pro at it, you must build on a foundation of the sportsmanlike attributes of learning, understanding and endless practice. This takes discipline. Natural ability is certainly a good part of it, but even the most blessed require a method, and a method is gotten by a serious and careful study of the game and how it is played by experts.
In fact, there is no such thing as spontaneous talent: music did not “just made sense” to Mozart - where would he be if he hadn’t spent his childhood practicing? One could say that talent is well-practiced potential. But don’t wait for a freaky father to hit you with a rod over your fingers every time you play the wrong card; impose your own discipline.
The fun of the game to most amateurs lies in the excitement of pitting themselves against blind chance. Poker is popular because of the adrenaline rush that comes with taking a risk. The professional knows his basic chances at poker, but rather than having a pleasurable time, he studies and takes advantage of opponents’ mistakes, remembers them and uses them against them while calculating immediate odds. Chance is only one element to challenge his skill and wits. The pro is not playing a half-blind game of chance, he is playing a strategic game of matching himself against another’s method and besting him.
There are many varieties of poker and it is vital to know which of the varieties is most suited to your intuition, skill and behavior patterns. If you do not have this habit of self-introspection, chances are you will keep playing a plodding game which never fully engages your faculties. Try other varieties of poker to see which one(s) excites you. You just might be surprised at what a skillful player you really are.
Know the difference between limit and no-limit poker, there is a big one. The player with discipline will not yield to temptation and will go for the game where he feels in control, steady and cool. In limit poker, players play with caution, remain calm, and skillfully and accurately obtain and remember information about the other players in order to overcome them with small moves. This disciplined player will play only the hands he deems to be winning, this may be only about 20% of the hands that are dealt.
The no-limit pro will appear to be the opposite of the reserved, cool limit player. He will play aggressively before the flop, and play hands that to a limit expert would appear to be pure folly. The disciplined no-limit player is always aware of exactly what he is trying to achieve with every bold move.
In both cases, no less important than the right move is the ability to restrain oneself and quit when the situation is hopeless or when you feel you are loosing control: it happens to everyone, but the disciplined player dedicated to consistent performance will not pursue the phantom of mounting frustration.
You must never believe that your good fortune, on better days, will go on for eternity. Learn to leave while you are still hot, not when you cool off. During each session, you must not only have a cap on your losses, but also on your gains.
For more interesting poker content please visit Poker Chips Pro or Random Poker Blog
Tags: card games, Gambling, games, Online Poker, Poker, poker discipline, recreation
