Want to Get Better-Go to School and Learn to be Patient

[CRAZYBEAR007]

We all get beaten a lot when we are new better. That is only part of it. I am here to say that if you are serious about being good you have to play and go back to school.
At first I had no interest in the schools and lessons offered here around Poker. As time went on I viewed it as a method of earning points so I could play in the some points tournaments. Now I see it as vital to improving my Poker skills. Let me give you two examples. As I was playing a tournament the other day I used pot odds, hand percentages, online tells and position to work my way through a field of 4000 to come in 3rd in one of the Cake Gold Chip tournaments. In this same tournament there were 3 times that I was frustrated by aggressive players and got short stacked. In the past I would just push in with a good but not great hand and taken my chances. Instead I used patience and busted 2 of the aggressive players by getting great hands and using check raises. It was by far the most satisfying and one of the memorable high finishes I have had to date.
Do yourself and your game a favor and get to school and learn the P word!

[willie beaman]

Poker is a game that is never perfected. If you are serious about playing, you must study strategies of the game and always practice. Another thing you should do is learn different poker games, instead of focusing on nl hold em or stud.

[LyndaNova]

Good post Crazybear. Patience is a tool that serious poker players need.
Of course it always helps to be lucky in receiving good cards as well.

Learning different poker games is a great idea. It opens up options that would otherwise not be available.

Good luck at the tables!

[SoSoft]

Yes Patience is very important. But I've found that there is so much information out there that you probably don't need a poker school. (well, some might) -- And there's always someone who thinks they know better than you do. LOL I think those sites who have advice from the pros about how to play are usually very good.

[willie beaman]

A lot of forums and poker rooms are offering poker school sessions now. If one has the time, it is something that I would recommend in order to learn some new strategies and improve play. There is always something to learn when attending these camps and sessions that will help you down the line when playing tournaments or cash games, both live and online.