| 8217;s take a run through a few things which may | | | | moment. |
| make the difference and turn those five hour long | | | | Make sure you set at atmosphere in your home so |
| multi-table tournament slogs from a borefest in to | | | | that when you sit down to play online poker you are |
| something a little more interesting that will hold your | | | | comfortable. Perhaps have your favourite CD playing |
| attention and concentration. | | | | in the background. Take the phone off the hook and |
| Concentration and patience are arguably the two most | | | | don’t answer the door – any interruption |
| important skills of any successful poker player at any | | | | is likely to break your concentration. And do have a |
| level. You must concentrate at all times to figure out | | | | comfort break before play starts. A two minute trip to |
| the styles of play of your opponents and pick up as | | | | the toilet could cost you! |
| much information about them as you can. Get a | | | | When the action starts – remember, patience |
| “read” on them. Are they aggressive, | | | | and concentration. |
| passive – concentrate hard to nail down their | | | | Have a pad and a pen with you. Make notes about |
| style of play so you can adapt your game accordingly. | | | | your opponents and pay attention to their betting |
| And you must have patience to wait for the right | | | | patterns and what card they flip over on a showdown. |
| hands to commit your chips to. Sure – it’s | | | | Do they call on just about anything then fold at the first |
| easy if pocket aces come along every couple of | | | | sign of strength, do they chase straight and flush |
| hands or so, but that’s not going to happen is it. | | | | draws, do they slow-play strong hands. |
| You’re like a lion stalking prey – you have | | | | Categorise your opponents in to styles of play. This will |
| to wait for the right moment to go in for the kill. Either | | | | help to keep you focussed on the game and pick up |
| when you’re sure you’re holding the | | | | information about your opponents which can be |
| best hand (or can “pretend” you have) | | | | invaluable in robbing them of their chips. For example if |
| or when you sense weakness in an opponent and can | | | | you categorise a play as extremely aggressive who |
| exploit it. | | | | raises on anything and everything you know to avoid |
| Don’t look down at pocket threes after a good | | | | locking horns with them unless you have a monster |
| half hour of folding, and think to yourself you must go | | | | hand and to use their aggression against them. |
| for it because it’s the first half way reasonable | | | | Try practicing the suggestions in this article and see if |
| starting hand you’ve had and think that you | | | | you notice a difference in your play as a result. Try |
| have a right to win that hand because it’s your | | | | whatever works for you to avoid becoming bored in |
| turn to win one. Unless you hit a miracle flop, | | | | your poker playing and whatever helps you to retain |
| you’ll be history. You must have, or develop, the | | | | concentration and patience at the table. It could just |
| patience to wait for the right cards and the right | | | | make the difference between winning and losing. |