Becoming a professional poker player means mastering everything about the game, from understanding the implied probability rates of certain hands being dealt and bluffing to managing your bankroll, understanding position, and picking up on lies your opponents are giving away.
I also think that a lot of luck is involved, which cannot be taught or learned.
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it takes for someone to become a master of Texas hold ’em poker, you’ve come to the right place.
On this page, I will be taking a look at some of the key strategies the pros often use to stay one step ahead of their rivals. We can also look at several popular poker variants you may want to try if you want to become a master.
How does someone become a Texas Hold ’em poker master?
Texas Hold ’em is the most popular poker variant out there. The basic rules are relatively easy to learn, and once you have mastered the basics, you should be able to play any other poker variant you try.
To truly become a master of poker, I believe that the key areas to focus on are the following:
- Becoming proficient in as many poker variants as possible, not just hold ’em. Others include Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, Five Card Draw, Short Deck Poker, and Razz, to name a few
- Learning to read your opponent’s body language. I should also mention that the best users know how to display false body language to try and trick you, so always be aware of this too
- Controlling your emotions. Never let your emotions get the better of you, and try to keep a poker face at all times
- Understanding position. The quicker you learn this, the better player you will become in no time
- Learning when to fold. Don’t stay in hands just for the sake of it.
- Having an aggressive style, but not all the time. You don’t have to be involved in every hand, and I’ve found that it’s best not to chase cards too often
- Don’t always play your favourite hand, as much as you like it
- Becoming an expert on the rules before playing any poker variant
- Playing against bad users. It will make your life a lot easier when playing against weaker opponents
- Having a long-term goal is a great strategy to have, especially when playing in MTTs or Sit ‘n GO tournaments
- Trying to learn new things as often as possible. Acquiring new skills, knowledge, values, and other understandings can help you become better at poker
- Gambling responsibly at all times. Never play poker while tired, intoxicated, or under the influence
I also like to watch how the pros play on YouTube or late-night television when it’s on. You can learn so much just from watching them play high-stakes poker.
Some of the key users from whom I’ve learned my poker skills and who have massively helped me improve are Patrick Antonius, Phil Ivey, Tom Dawn, and Daniel Negreanu.
How can playing Short Deck Poker help me?
Short Deck Poker is an excellent poker variant for beginners to quickly get up to speed. It’s also called Six-Plus Hold ’em and is only played with 36 cards instead of the standard 52 cards in a deck.
After you have mastered the basic hold’em poker rules, remember to check out this exciting, fast-paced poker variant, which is less than twenty years old. More hands are typically played in this variant, meaning there’s usually a lot more action.
The best six-plus hold ’em strategy is to try and adjust your way of thinking about the hand rankings and values. For example, in this variant, there are no 2s, 3s, 4s, or 5s, which you must get used to immediately.
Filling open-ended straight draws and landing full houses is much easier in Six-Plus Hold ’em, and I’ve also noticed that I get a lot more hands with two pairs. Also, you are twice as likely to be dealt pocket aces.
The standard 52-card deck in regular poker contains 13 suited cards, but there are only nine in this variant. This makes it harder to achieve a flush, which is why a Flush outranks four of a kind.
Also, a straight is outranked by three of a kind. Adapting to new rules and hand rankings like this quickly can expand your mind and help improve your performance against others.
Becoming a master at poker can take years, so don’t expect miracles to happen overnight. I’ve found that the best way to improve is to play as often as possible and play people of all skill levels in as many different poker variants as possible.
When playing real money online poker, especially for the first time, avoid the high-stakes tables and stick to the low stakes. However, don’t forget that pros (aka sharks) also like to play at these tables and play against the amateurs.
If you decide to play at a dedicated poker site from your desktop computer or mobile device, make sure you gamble responsibly and set a reasonable budget before making your first deposit. Doing so keeps things fun and safe and ensures you won’t overspend.
