41.SOME THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND – Online Poker

Poker is a godless game, full of random pain.
— Andy Bloch

Texas Hold ‘em is such a complex game that there are literally hundreds of different methods and strategies that can be successful. Good advice to any reader would be to invest a few dollars into at least one good Texas Hold ‘em book, written by such masters as Doyle Brunson or Phil Helmuth.

But keep in mind that this game is full of chances and changes. There is no one consistent way to play cards. There’s a reason they call it gambling. When you should win on pocket Aces, often you don’t. You have to be able to determine when it’s time to fold out and cut your losses when it looks like you won’t win.

It's not a matter of being brilliant. It's just a matter of character. That's all it is. You have the discipline to draw back when you see that your strategy is incorrect. That's the kernel of the idea in gambling: it's the discipline to keep your losses down and not to let your losses affect you.

It's the same in business. It's a percentage game. You don't win 100% of the time. You do something adequate, you stay in the game, and you keep playing.

You win a little bit more than you lose, and when you lose, you lose less. You're going to win eventually. You may not win the whole world; you may not even be an extremely high producer. But you're going to be a winner.

It sounds simple. It is just so hard to execute. Execute extremely well and you'll win. That's why Vince Lombardi, the famous football coach, used to spend eight hours on one sweep, just one play. Do the simple blocking and tackling
and the other stuff will take care of itself. It's the same in gambling and in business. You get the basics and you'll win. You don't have to be some super-visionary.

Keep in mind that online play is different than live play. While it may seem obvious, it still needs to be stressed. Many players play two tables, read e-mail, watch television, or talk on the telephone while playing.

Since there are so many distractions, some of your opponents may not be aware of all the action that is taking place. This is yet another reason to use less deception in your game, since some of your opponents will not even see some of your plays so that you can gain some future value out of them.