Patience in Poker

Patience is a very important factor in poker and it's one that I generally pride myself as having. In doing some browsing to see other's take on it, I found this article at "Learn-Texas-Holdem-Strategies.com"

I think everyone should read this article, it just might help you!!

"Patience in poker is a key to a successful poker career. You’ve heard it before, “Patience is a virtue.” Unfortunately you’ve probably heard it from your Mom more than a hundred times!

However, when it comes to winning Texas Hold ‘Em there is no finer advice.

Please understand and do not confuse patience with playing tight. They are two different things completely. You can be a very aggressive player and patient at the same time.

Patience is an absolute must. Patience is the absolute key to becoming a great poker player. What we don’t see on TV are the hours that the players actually play during the games. Some of them take forever!

A great player will wait for as long as they need to pounce on the right hand. They may wait for a great starting hand, limp in and find some gold on the flop or bluff their way to riches. The bottom line is they can wait and wait for just the right moment.

How do you know when that moment is? Experience is one way. The second way is deciding to play patiently. Choose to play in a patient manner and good things will happen. I promise.

3 Keys to Success when Practicing Patience in Poker

Key 1 - Wait for the Right Time to Make Your Move(s)

This is probably the most important key of all. Unfortunately some of the skill that comes with knowing when to make your moves is experience. The only way to get experience is to play, of course.

However, its important to understand that waiting for the right hand doesn't necessarily mean it has to be a monster hand. On the contrary sometimes. You may find yourself with A,6 off suit and it may be the right time to play a big raise to steal the blinds. But you can only make that play when you've got a read on your opponents. Which leads us to key 2.

Key 2 - Play patiently to get a read on your opponents

By showing patience and not playing every hand that is dealt and in turn chasing everything down to the river you can develop the knack for reading your opponents.

When you slow your play down and chose to play premium hands most of the time you can get a feel for what everyone else at the table is doing. How the bet. What they raise with. How much they raise. Do the bluff. If so, when do they bluff. Are they tight. Or aggressive, loose, etc.

The advantages to you are once you can read your opponents you'll know how to play your hands moving forward. Sometimes it won't matter what you're cards are. You'll simply be playing the person. For example, you'll know that Player C always folds when a big raise is placed. So when it comes down to you and Player C you can have an inferior hand but you may place a big raise and steal the pot because you know Player C is going to fold.

Key 3 - Avoid getting Bored and Frustrated.

This is so important. In fact, this may be the one people struggle with most. People play online poker because it is fast moving and fun. Therefore many of them get bored when they don't get "good" cards to play.

So what do they do?

That's right they start playing crappy hands.

You won't do this however because you know this is the fastest way to losing all your money. Sure you may get lucky every know and again. But in general if you simply start playing hands because you are getting bored that's the first sign of a novice poker player. And a sign of a losing poker player.

Please do not get this key confused with key #1. If its the right time for you to make a move with an inferior hand then go for it. What I'm talking about is you simply get bored and frustrated with not catching any cards.

Be patient. The cards will come. I promise!"