Poker isn’t easy, and it requires a lot of mental toughness to stay the course. The game is heavily reliant on luck, and even the best players will suffer some bad beats from time to time. But if you’re willing to work hard, and remain dedicated to improving your skillset, you can increase the amount of skill that outweighs luck in your games.
The first thing you’ll need to develop is a solid understanding of poker odds. This is important because you’ll need to know what your opponents’ chances are of making a certain hand, so that you can make the most profitable calls possible.
Once you understand poker odds, you’ll also want to learn how to read other players and look for “tells.” Tells aren’t just the obvious ones like fiddling with their chips or adjusting their ring, but can be a change in playing style or an indication that they have a strong hand.
Finally, you’ll need to study your own play and find ways to improve it. This can be done through self-examination or by discussing your hands with other players. By regularly examining your results and making changes to your strategy, you’ll be able to increase the amount of skill that outweighs chance in your games.
