How do you Improve Your Poker Game?

How do you Improve Your Poker Game?
Author: Sally Surefoot

I think the first thing to realize is that everyone learns in different ways. Some people need visual stimulation, some people need to study in groups, i.e Forum, while others can study on their own. Some learn from lectures while others learn from books. Some learn by doing while others learn by watching someone doing. etcetera.

My belief is that most people learn better by examples. It is one thing to say, motors work like this, and another to actually get a wrench and be actively involved in figuring out the engine. I also believe that repetition and focus is important.

The above paragraph is why I believe ITH was so successful. I tried to create focus by separating key concepts, internet tips, etcetera. I created repetition and focus with the Chapter Reviews. And of course I had lots of hand examples so the reader could actively participate and at least see how concepts were applied in action.

A few years ago hand examples were rarely used in books making the learning process more difficult. Today many authors use more hand examples although not nearly enough (not nearly enough authors and not nearly enough examples)

So one of the first challenges is overcoming the weaknesses in the book you are reading. TOP, THFAP, NLTAP are all great books with a ton of information. As Nside says, you grasp new concepts with each additional reading of the book. One of the reasons for this is that your play has advanced to a level where you can now understand and relate the concept, but another reason it takes multiple readings is just the organization and presentation of the material.

So you ask a good question. How should you read a book? I think the first thing is to highlight key concepts - either concepts that strike you as especially important, or concepts that you don't quite grasp when reading them. This will help with focus and repetition on future readings.

Come back and read through your highlights after the first read. Then give the book and rest for a few months and start applying the concepts. This might include discussing ideas/hands in Forums, etcetera. After a few months, reread with focus on the previous highlights.

While playing, I always grab histories for interesting hands, especially those that relate to something I might be writing or reading about. When you have hands that remind you of a particular concept, like M for example, grab it and post it. Now you can learn by example with Forum discussion to overcome the fact that the author might not have given enough hand examples.

There is a big difference in reading a poker book and absorbing a poker book. I try and read poker books like textbooks. Be sure to cover the answers. Think through concepts and try and be sure you understand the exceptions or the situation-specific conditions. If you only read then you'll often miss some of that and misapply the concepts. For example, you might read that you should push a weak hand in big pots. That can be true, but only if 1, 2, and 3 conditions apply. If you simply read without absorbing you'll miss those conditions.

You might also try interactive learning tools such as The Poker Tutor, pokerxfactor, etc. as another great learning method is to simply do things like the professionals do them. These are also visual which help some players learn better than reading.

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Sally is a part time semi professional online poker player, using the game to improve decision making not to mention boost the bank balance.Sally often plays at FT, This site is open to US players and is a highly popular site within the poker community. Review and Download Fulltilt Poker Article taken from Free Online Texas Holdem Blog Improve your poker game Checkout Sally's personal websitePoker Bonus & Fun Animations