Poker has always been one of the most popular games to play at land-based or online casinos. People around the world still love the drama, excitement, and strategy this classic game delivers. Over time though, it has grown even more in popularity with the mainstream public –mainly due to the emergence of well-known poker professionals like Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu. These top players live a lavish lifestyle and win massive amounts of money, and they also show that you can make a lot of cash by competing in poker tournaments if you have the skills.
Whether you play poker via a New Jersey gambling app or on an app in another US state, it is worth knowing how these top players got to where they are. But how do you make it in top poker tournaments and as a pro player like the Ivey’s or Negreanu’s of this world?
Practice, practice, practice
Did you know that Phil Ivey once had a nickname of ‘No Home Jerome’ because he spent so much time playing poker? Negreanu also put in the hard yards to make sure he was ready to go when bursting onto the scene in 2003. Both show that the essential ingredient to make it to the top in poker is hard work and the desire to succeed. You must be prepared to put in the effort to play more poker and analyze your game, improve your weaknesses, understand poker rules, and find ways to develop your play. If you can do this, it will help you make it to the top.
Make rational calls
The ability to control your emotions when playing poker is essential. It will help you to make sensible, rational decisions when playing a hand. If you fail to remain calm and in control, you could soon find yourself out of the game altogether. Another great tip along the same lines is making sure you only play winning hands – once more, being in the right mindset to do this is crucial. Many pros like Ivey and Negreanuwill throw away junk hands and only play hands that have a decent chance of winning.
Learn how to bluff well
The key phrase here is knowing how to bluff well– not just how to bluff! All the top players in world poker will have this in their back pocket to use as it adds great depth to their play. If you always only bet with a strong hand or fold with a weak, you will be predictable. While this is a good foundation, as noted above, you sometimes need to bluff to switch things up a little. One of the reasons the top pros make it is the ability to deceive opponents into betting or folding when they shouldn’t.
Play like the professionals
When it comes to poker, it is worthwhile taking the time to learn a few lessons from pro players. Seeing how they developed their craft to make it in the big-time and what techniques they use is like gold dust for casual players looking to hone their poker playing skills.