Poker Experience is Everything

One of the most appealing aspects of poker is that it seems like a relatively simple game to learn. On the surface poker is a simple game to learn, it is a game based on basic mathematics but it is also a game that you never stop learning from once you delve a little deeper under the skin.

When a player decides to start taking the game a little more seriously, he or she will usually purchase a number of poker books, join an online training site or go on the search for the ultimate poker training guide. Unfortunately, no such guide exists, if it did we would either all be very rich or the games would be so tough because everyone would know how to play perfectly, that there would be very little money to make from the game.

Books and videos are great for giving you examples of how to play specific hands in specific situations but there is no substitute for experience. It is no coincidence that the better online poker players also play dozens of tables simultaneously. Yes they do this to make money first and foremost but some of them will have played more hands in a five year period than someone like Doyle Brunson would have played in their entire 50 year career.

Brunson once stated that each and every day he sits at the poker tables he learns something new, even if he is playing with the same group of players he has done for many years. One of them will look at their cards slightly differently, one will make a slightly different bet size, it could be anything, even learning something about himself.

By all means read some of the better strategy books out there, join a training site and discuss hands on a poker forum but once you have done this take some money and play some poker in an attempt to apply your new found knowledge. If you play enough poker you will come across similar situations day in day out that you will know exactly what to do regardless of the actions of your opponents meaning you will rarely be left in difficult, confusing spots and your poker playing will be a much more comfortable experience.