Now that poker tables are opening back up across the country, it is time to start mentally preparing to get back into the live game.
If the coronavirus pandemic has taught us anything it is to mentally prepare for what's ahead. Mentally prepping yourself and reviewing some strategy is a good start before you jump back into the live poker realm.
I feel we have to start with what, in my opinion, is probably the most important logical thing to know and to understand in poker; whether you are a beginner or a top notch pro, this is something that needs to be in your thought process every time that you make a decision.
Ready? Listen carefully...
You need to always think exactly one level ahead of your competition.
Sounds simple, right? Not so fast. I said that it is, in my opinion, the most important thing to understand. But I didn’t say it would be easy. There are going to be times when you don’t have as much knowledge, experience or understanding of the game as some of your competitors... thinking one level above him (or her) is going to be pretty difficult. This is something that we can talk about in another blog.
Every time I sit down at a poker table, the first thing that I try to do is to fairly gauge my knowledge and experience of the game compared to everyone else at the table. This is true especially at a tournament because I never have control on where I will be seated throughout the event. In a cash game, I can always move seats, or even transfer tables if need be, to put myself in a better position. In a tournament, you don’t have that luxury. When I first show up to my tournament seat I like to get a good feel for who the players are at the table. I first look to see if I obviously know anyone at my table. For those that I don’t know, I make some very basic assumptions of people based off of age, what they are wearing, what they are saying, who they are talking with and just about anything else that I can think of.
If you see someone talking to several solid players that you know, chances are that person is a solid player too. In poker, you need to stereotype right from the start. Our initial assumptions aren’t always 100% right though. I obviously adjust my assumptions about these players as the tournament progresses. Don’t get stubborn with your initial read on a player if you start seeing more and more evidence against it. Always keep an open mind and constantly adjust your assessment of the players at your table as more hands are dealt.
Now here’s the important part.
Do your best to think exactly one level above the person that you are playing against in a specific hand. Obviously, when you have multiple players in a hand, it gets a little bit more complicated. (Again, that can be a discussion for another day.) When heads up, your job is to get inside the head of the other player and attempt to figure out what he is thinking. What level? Is the other player just worried about his cards? Does a scare card actually “scare” him or does he not even notice that there is a 4 card straight and a 4 card flush on board? Has he been loose pre flop and tight post flop? There are lots of things to keep track of. Plain and simple, you need to understand his logic!
You don’t need to agree with his logic, you just need to understand it.
I have had many players ask me about specific situations regarding a poker hand. I try to come to a conclusion (as much as possible) by trying to follow the opponent’s logic throughout the hand. Often when I try to explain that logic, I get the response of “well that’s not a good play”. I’ll say it again...
You don’t need to agree with his logic, you just need to understand it.
Follow your opponent’s thought process even if it is flawed logic. Then go one step above to counter his strategy. Not two or three steps. He is not thinking on that level so he will not understand your thought process. Don’t get too fancy when the best play is straightforward. Save that play for an opponent that it will work on.
- Frank L. DiRe
Nerdthusiast Content Writer
Email:inthemoneypoker@yahoo.com
Follow Me On Twitter @FLD15
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