|
Why do we play poker? But especially why do you play poker?
This might strike you as an odd question but it is very important for your
future success in the world of poker. The reason why you play poker is at least
as important as the way you play poker.
We can categorize somehow the reasons why we play poker, we can properly analyze
them and after that we can use them to improve our actual gaming style.
If we could ask several hundreds of players “Why do you play poker?” the odds
are quite big that their answer would be “For the money”. But if we could access
their last year statistics we would see that some just didn’t win any money at
all, or at least that they didn’t win more that they lost. If money is the only
reason these people play poker they why do they keep on doing it? Of course,
there are many more answers that they don’t really want to admit. This happens
because there are many other motivations that push us to play poker just as
great as the desire to win many, but many of them are even greater.
And when you come to think about it, you can surely find many many reasons: fun,
the love of the game, competition, making friends, the desire to beat the best
there is in the world of poker, and the list can go on and on. But if you
understand the various reasons behind your game you will eventually manage to
change your view about winning and losing or you will be able to choose the
perfectly fit games for you, the ones that will bring you the most success.
In his book, “Psychology of Poker”, Alan N. Shoonmaker explains in detail the
importance of understanding personal impulses in order to find the answer to the
question “Why do we play poker?”
I will take the liberty to speak a little bit about this theory.
Take a pen and a piece of paper and write down the following:
Money
Making friends
Relaxing
Pleasure
Competition
Just passing time
If you can think of additional reasons, write those down also. Now you will have
to think hard and find within yourselves the real reasons you play poker for.
Once you did that, write after each reason a percentage, even if it is 0%, just
keep in mind that all of them added must equal 100%.
If someone would play poker 20% for Money, 10% for relaxation, 50% for pleasure
and the remaining 20% for competition, then he would be what is called a loose
player most of the time, playing many hands and staying in the game as much as
he can just for the thrill of being there. This is the most important think for
him and it influences his style of playing.
If you manage to carefully and correctly analyze your own situation you can
eventually change some parts of your game you don’t like or improve the ones
that you consider are good.
In many types of competitions, the battle is firstly within yourself and only
after that with your opponents. Bad mistakes in poker are made when you are too
proud, when you question your ability and doubt your self all the time, when you
are too scared or shy when you must take an action or when your thoughts are
just somewhere else.
If you play poker just with friends to pass the time, then you must choose games
with low bids, so your bankroll will last longer. If you are playing to relax
then stay out of the games with poker fanatics and choose some games with less
involved players.
The answers can be various and they only depend on you. But answering the
question is a must if you wish to improve your game.
If you're searching for poker home games or a local poker tournament, visit
http://www.find-local-poker.com today.
NEXT
ARTICLE >> Poker beginners should know poker secrets as well
Moneymaking is tempting for Internet users and, when so many opportunities are
at hand, it is difficult to choose the best option. Playing online legal poker
is very tempting but also very risky for a “rookie”. So, one should learn some
secrets before starting to get the cash in his pocket.
Online Poker FAQ
Online poker has become incredibly popular over the past several years and it
looks as if it will continue to do so. However, despite its worldwide popularity
there are a lot of questions people have about online poker and would like to
know the answers before they start betting their hard earned money online.
Fortunately, there are answers to these questions.
Texas Hold em Poker Bluffing: The Complete Guide
Get your very own online guide to playing Texas holdem online. Bluffing is not
easy but after you read this article, it will become easier.
|
