MEASURE AND RECORD YOUR PERFORMANCE
Preparation includes keeping track of how you’re doing. ‘This may seem like a useless point to many,’ writes Ryan Chandler in The Complete Guide to Poker, ‘but keeping records is the key to knowing your success rate. How would you know the magnitude of your success if you aren’t keeping records? Without accurate records,
JUST BREATHE
There’s a little-known tell that virtually all male poker players have: they’ll clear their throat whenever they have a medium-strong hanPioneering poker theorist Mike Caro teaches in his famous lecture series that: ‘It is a way of preparing physically for whatever may come. Players tend not to do this when they’re bluffing. Then, they’re typically quiet and if they have an especially strong hand, they don’t have to prepare themselves for the possibility of being beaten. Thus
no throat clearing.’
no throat clearing.’
POSITION MATTERS IN POKER…
Pick your seat around the poker table wisely, especially if you know your opponents’ playing styles. Three-time WSOP bracelet winner David Sklansky says: ‘You prefer having the loose, aggressive player sitting to your right and the tight, conservative player to your left.’ If you’re after the aggressive player, you’re better placed to control and trap them into making mistakes. The conservative player after you won’t produce as many worrying surprises.
BUT NOT IN BLACKJACK
Some players think that sitting in last place (or ‘Third Base’) at the blackjack table will let them control the cards. However, as pro Kevin Blackwood warns in Casino Gambling for Dummies: ‘Unless they’re psychic, this position won’t improve their chances of winning.’
SLOW DOWN AT THE SLOTS
Playing the slot machines? Then do not rush it, warns gambling expert Bill Burton in the book 1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets. ‘There are no prizes for the player hitting the spin button the fastest. You will lose less money if you play more slowly.’
UNDERSTAND THE MACHINES
Modern, electronic slot machines contain known as random number generators (RNGs), which select a random series of numbers to determine the symbols on the slot reels. In Casino Conquest, Frank Scoblete writes: ‘The reels have nothing to do with whether you win or lose. They merely tell you whether you won or lost.’ Jiggling the handle or changing how you press the buttons won’t make any difference to the
KNOW WHEN TO INDUCE A BLUFF
According to David Sklanksy and Mason in their book Hold ’Em Poker for Advanced Players, you need to check three key boxes before you induce a bluff. Make sure you’re only facing a small number of opponents (preferably one). Make sure you’re facing an aggressive player, who is capable of bluffing but also of folding
if you bet. ‘And the situation must be such that giving a free card to your opponent
is not dangerous if their hand is worse than yours.’
if you bet. ‘And the situation must be such that giving a free card to your opponent
is not dangerous if their hand is worse than yours.’