You’ve signed up at Everygame Poker and have a hefty bankroll to splash out on the cash games. You have read all the best online poker books, practiced ad nauseum on the poker trainer apps and have all the jargon down pat.
Whether it is a bad beat or the dreaded tilt you know all about the risks you have to quantify when you play poker online. The problem is that your win rate is not quite where you want it to be and you don’t know how to get it on the up and up…
The question is; what makes a good poker player great? Is it attitude, intelligence or knowledge… or all of the above?
The truth is, if you want to become the best online poker player you can possibly be, you have to tap into a far more nuanced set of attributes. Characteristics like self-discipline, critical thinking, optimal money management and the ability to innovate and adjust your strategy are the key to sustained success at the poker table.
Let’s take a more in-depth look at the attributes you need to become one of the best online poker players in cyberspace. Once you have a better understanding of how they can influence your game, you will soon be able to play poker online like a seasoned pro:
Self-Discipline
In the context of poker, self-discipline is easily the most important attribute you can have. A disciplined approach means so much more than only betting on a good combination of cards or folding on a bad hand.
It means practicing restraint at the table at all times – whether it relates to the size of your wagers or the decisions you make pre and post-flop. It also means being totally committed to the game – something the best online poker players embrace with unfettered enthusiasm.
In other words, you should be prepared to spend hours leaning how to play poker online. Read all the articles you can get your hands on, take part in forum discussions online and expand your knowledge of the game every possible way you can.
This sort of dedication isn’t necessarily fun but it is always valuable. When there is no fun in doing what you have to do, self-discipline is about the only thing that gets you through!
Key takeaway – if you don’t have discipline and self-control there is a good chance you will lose more pots at Everygame Poker than you’ll win… but this is easy to remedy by a simple change in mindset.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is defined as ‘the objective evaluation and analysis of an issue in order to form a judgement or opinion’. In the world of poker, critical thinking effectively means conducting a quick statistical analysis of all the variables in your head so that you can make the kind of decisions required to win.
This type of analytical approach to playing poker online not only applies to the moves you should make based on the cards in the hand and on the table. It gives you a kind of logical blueprint when it comes to deciding what to do next in order to improve your chances of winning going forward.
If you want to play poker online optimally it is essential to use all the components associated with critical thinking. These include evaluating, analysing, reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making. That way you can maximise the brain’s capacity to use deductive reasoning to further the chances of success.
Key takeaway – critical thinking is the antithesis of guesswork, and when you apply it to your game, the odds are you will become one of the best online poker players at Everygame Poker!
Adaptation and Innovation
To be a truly great poker player you must have the ability to innovate. You must also be able to adapt quickly according to current circumstances.
It is important to understand that the game of poker is constantly evolving. Strategies that worked optimally in the past may no longer be relevant. That means to be the best online poker player you have to constantly innovate in order to maintain an edge.
It also means adjusting your game according to your opponents’ skill levels, reasoning and style of play. You not only have to adapt your game strategy; you have to change the way you play based on the mindset of the other players at the table – be it a real table in Las Vegas or a virtual table right there at Everygame Poker.
How do you adapt your play on-demand? That’s easy – by applying what you have leant playing poker online, and using your strategic knowledge, in-depth reasoning and acute awareness of what’s happening around you to make the right calls.
Key takeaway – at the end of the day, no two poker games are the same. Different games require different strategies and to become the best online poker player you must be able to adapt your game plan accordingly. The adage ‘adapt or die’ has to be your mantra when you play poker online!
Excellent Money Management
Poker is a high variance game. That means you can win plenty of cash playing poker at Everygame Poker but it can go the opposite way as well.
If you want to preserve your bankroll and extend your gambling sessions online you have to be disciplined when it comes to managing your money.
The best way to do this is to plan for the inevitable down swings. In other words, ensure you have a financial cushion capable of covering your losses and never ever play poker online with money you cannot afford to lose.
Key takeaway – the best online poker players always plan for the losses!
Now that you know what attributes are required to make you one of the best online poker players around, all you have got to do is log in at Everygame Poker and play poker online like Jason Koon, Nikita Bodyakovskiy or John Cynn!