How to Win at Poker

Ok, perhaps I mislead you a little with the title. I am not going to give you a detailed breakdown of how to be a successful poker player; rather I am going to talk about something that is often overlooked and contributes almost solely to your long-term success. I have read many poker books that talk about statistics and “tells”, but few go to the heart of the matter and if they do, many soon-to-be poker players probably miss it.

So what in the heck am I talking about? Why, table conditions of course. Poker puts you against the table. Your ability to hide tells and make “proper plays”, is only one part of the equation. The bigger part is table conditions. Many poker players will state that poker is one of those games where a player’s skill level largely determines his or her long-term financial outcome. This is partly true.

The more accurate analysis goes like this. As a poker player, you must know what your ability is—ego aside. Once you know this, half of the equation is solved. The other half is determining the skill level of those at your target table. Winning at poker is less about how good you are and more about how much lower the skill level of those around you is. You are most likely familiar with the term “fishes.” To win consistently at poker, you want to get into games where you have at least a couple players at the table who are much lower in ability that you are. If all you do is play with players who are around your skill set or better, you won’t be a consistent moneymaker.

Look around at any pro. They will typically make their money be getting in on weak games. The good poker player plays tables around his or her skill level to improve and keep fit. The good poker player plays weak tables to grow his or her bankroll. Master this and you will be on your way to making money and winning at poker.