One of the first things people notice when they study the game of
poker is that playing consists of a relentless stream of decisions. You no
sooner make one gut-wrenching decision when along comes another. And another.
And another after that. And each decision is as perplexing as the one before. It
is brutal. The secret I am about to reveal to you targets this problem. It
allows you to make the right choice for difficult poker decisions.
This secret is the most valuable you will ever learn. It has the potential to
transform every aspect of your game. You might think I am exaggerating, but I
cannot overstate the power and scope of this incredible secret. I have given
exclusive poker lessons where the only thing I've taught is this one secret. It
is that good. It is often all that's necessary to transform an average player
into a world-class competitor. And you will not learn this secret anywhere else.
I have read dozens of poker books and discussed strategy with countless
professional players, and nowhere have I come across this concept expressed so
succinctly.
This secret appears deceptively simple, but do not be fooled. It is the most
powerful tip that exists. It trumps every bit of poker advice out there.
Learning this secret will be like finding a hidden treasure.
Here is the secret: "Figure out what they don't want you to do, then do that."
When you face an opponent in poker, he will always be worried about you doing
some particular action. Figure out what that action is. Determine what he does
not want you to do. Then do exactly that.
In poker, you often find yourself at a point of decision. It is your turn to act
and you don't know what to do. Should you call? Should you raise? Should you
fold? You study the cards. You calculate your outs and your pot odds. You
retrace the action of the hand. You ponder the chips on the table. Still, you
have no clue what is your best move. You analyze the probabilities. You consider
advice from poker books you've read. You look skyward for guidance. Yet you
remain baffled. Your actions in situations like this determine your success as a
poker player.
Try this. Ask yourself: What does your opponent hope you do not do? What is the
one thing he is sitting over there, at this moment, worried you might do? For
sure, there exists some such thing he is rooting for you not to do. He is
sitting over there thinking, "Please, God, don't let him do that! Please, oh,
please, anything but that!" What is that thing? Figure that out, and you will
know for certain what you should do.
The reason this secret is reliable is because the inner desires of your opponent
are based on accurate information. He knows his situation. He knows his cards,
his monetary considerations, his propensity to fold and his emotional
disposition. He does not need to speculate about those things, as you do. He is
the person involved, so he knows, firsthand, every relevant aspect of his
immediate situation. Therefore, whatever he is thinking is based on factual
information from his viewpoint. His thoughts, whatever they are, are rooted in
his reality.
Let me give you an example of this secret in action. Many years ago, I was
playing in the World Series of Poker, main event. About fifty players remained
in the tournament; I was one of six at our table. George Huber was seated to my
left. George was a well-respected player who had already won a World Series
event a few years before. Right then, he was low on chips.
A hand came where George and I tangled. I held 6h and 5h, and the flop came Kc,
Qd and 5s. I had the low pair on the board. George bet all his chips, and it was
my turn to act.
Ordinarily, I should have let go of this hand. The last thing I wanted to do was
double him up, and he appeared to have me beat. He was representing at least a
pair of queens, which made me a big underdog. I decided to wait a moment before
folding. I stared across the table, watching him closely. And then, suddenly, I
got an impression. Somehow, I got the sense that George was worried about me
calling. I'm not sure how I picked up this feeling, but the message was clear
and unmistakable. George was sitting over there hoping I would not call. So,
according to my secret, that was exactly what I should do. I promptly put in
chips to match his bet. George had Jd and 10c, which meant he was on a draw. The
next two cards failed to help him, and I eliminated George from the tournament.
In this example, I was able to get a clear impression of what my opponent did
not want me to do, and sure enough, that was exactly the right thing to do, even
though it was contrary to what good reasoning would say. An analysis of the
cards on the table, the money in the pot and the action of the hand would
suggest I should fold. Every poker book in the world would tell me to fold in
that situation, especially in a tournament. Yet I had something better than all
that. I had the most important information there could be. I had an indication
that George did not want me to stay in the hand. That was all I needed to know.
Your opponent is thinking something. He is not sitting over there blank in the
head. He is considering your possible moves, and there is something he hopes you
do not do. Find out what that is. Study him. Get into his being. Put your
psychological whammy on him. Do whatever it takes. This approach is more
reliable than trying to figure out if he is bluffing or how he is playing. Go
after one piece of information: what he does not want you to do. If you can
determine that, you are golden.
And trust your instinct. If you pick something up, heed what you get. Your
subconscious mind may notice something subtle, something subliminal, something
nearly imperceptible. You don't need to know the details; if your perception is
real, you have what you need.
This approach to decision-making works without fail. It will not let you down.
As long as the message you get is accurate, you can be confident you are doing
what is best for your situation. When you use this secret, you go directly after
the information you need. You don't get sidetracked trying to evaluate a bunch
of confusing and irrelevant ideas. You aim at the target, and you hit the
bull's-eye.
If you are like most players, you are forever trying to weigh various factors to
make good decisions. Your number of outs. Your pot odds. Your relative stack
size. Your opponent's tendency to bluff. And so on. Any help you can get to aid
you in that constant decision-making struggle is welcome, right? Well, you
cannot get better help than this! If you are able to ascertain, directly from
your opponent, what he does not want you to do, you have the most valuable
assistance you could ever have. Nothing can top it. And that's why, when it
comes to winning at poker, this is the greatest secret you will ever learn.
Timmor L. White is the founder and president of Online Poker Systems and the OPS
Group. With a background in Internet technology, he is active in the study and
reporting of online-poker playing strategies. If you wish to explore a specific
way to cheat when playing online, click here:
Online Poker Cheat.
NEXT ARTICLE >> The True Nature of Poker
Everyone has heard of poker. Millions of people play the
game regularly. Yet few people understand poker's true
nature. Allow me to explain.
5
Reasons NOT to Cheat at Poker
The temptation is strong. Cheat at poker and make gobs
of money! But if you are wise, you will resist the
temptation. Here are five reasons why.
Your Love Affair With Poker
To win consistently at poker, you must fall in love with
the game. Not the money, not the fame, but the game
itself. And nothing short of a full-blown love affair
will do.
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