| Last weekend was one of the greatest weekends | | | | Ben has a bad hand, then he will immediately fold. In |
| of my life. Not only did I manage to beat all of my | | | | order to trick other players, and stop them from |
| friends at Texas holdem poker, but I did it without | | | | reading your betting style, you must vary it from |
| even breaking a sweat. Texas holdem poker is a | | | | time to time. For example, sometimes I deliberately |
| game of skill. A game of skill that can be mastered in | | | | check, despite having a strong set of cards, to fool |
| a very short period of time if you apply the right | | | | my opponents. At other times, I raise during every |
| game play strategies. In order to become successful | | | | single betting round, and then pretend I'm going to |
| at the fascinating game of Texas holdem poker, you | | | | fold, even though I have good cards, to encourage |
| need to master the following 3 skills. | | | | other people to increase their bets. |
| 1) Knowledge Of The Hands | | | | 3) Patience |
| You cannot bet properly if you do not know what | | | | If no good cards show up for long periods, you must |
| the cards in your hands are worth. For example, an | | | | be patient, and fold your cards if you feel they have |
| experienced player will know that a pair of suited | | | | a low chance of winning. Its better to wait for a |
| cards presents many options, and can be very | | | | strong hand before placing large bets. Otherwise you |
| powerful. If a beginning player were to come in | | | | may go all in with a weak pair of cards and lose all of |
| possession of 2 suited cards of low value, he/she | | | | your chips. In poker, its very easy to become |
| may fold because they do not realize the power of | | | | frustrated, especially when bad cards are coming |
| their cards. You must become familiar with all of the | | | | your way for extended periods of time. You must |
| card combinations and their chances for winning. | | | | be patient and never show your frustration. |
| Otherwise you will almost certainly waste great | | | | Otherwise other players may pick up on your |
| cards, and not capitalize on good opportunities. | | | | frustrations, and start to understand your thoughts, |
| 2) Your Betting Style | | | | and your thinking patterns. |
| If your betting style is always the same, then your | | | | Master the above three skills and you will become a |
| opponents will quickly pick up on your game play | | | | great poker player in a very short period of time. I'm |
| strategy, and read you like a book. My friend Ben has | | | | sure that the next time I play my friends at Texas |
| the exact same betting strategy every single time I | | | | holdem poker, they will not have a chance against |
| play him. Even with a bad set of cards, he raises his | | | | me. As demonstrated on television, and all around the |
| bets during every single betting round. He does this | | | | world, Texas holdem poker is a game of skill, and all |
| to test the other players, who usually fold if they | | | | the spoils will go to the victor who has done their |
| don't have a good hand. If someone doesn't fold, and | | | | homework on how to win in this tricky game. |