Using the tools to stay focused in online poker
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Winning at online poker is all about staying focused on profitable activity and avoiding unprofitable activity, just like in business. That really is the secret to success in either venture – staying focused and using your time wisely. Fortunately, online poker rooms provide you with all the tools you need to do just that.
Yes, I said that ALL the tools you need for success at online poker are provided by the poker room. You don’t need any extra, off-site tools or programs. I know that many players love these things, but I would strictly advise new students of the game to stay away from them. The most popular of these is Poker Tracker. It’s one heck of a program. Don’t use it. Why? Because it is a great distraction and can easily be the cause of losing your focus on what really matters.
In No Limit Hold’em, the game offering the best opportunity to make a living in by far, there are only two things that are really important. They are: 1. Playing against somebody who is willing to put all their chips in with only one pair after the flop, and 2. Not playing a losing game the rest of the time. This is of course assuming that you are a good player (and therefore would never put all your chips in with just one pair after the flop) – and it is further assuming that “all your chips’ constitutes a large stack, much bigger than the pot.
The number one tool to help stay focused on these two objectives is the buddy list. When you run across someone who is willing to put their large stack of chips in the pot with one pair after the flop you need to buddy-list that player immediately (before they vanish). Your primary objective in this game is to find these players and play against them. If you are in a game where nobody would do that, you are wasting your time because that is where the profits come from and there are always other tables going with an opponent or two who are willing to do that. So every single time you see someone put all their chips in the middle with one pair, buddy list them! Make it a habit so you don’t even have to remind yourself to do it.
Now, it does no good to compile a large buddy list if you are not going to use it! Every time you log in, go to your buddy list and try to get in a game with one of those players. This is the most important thing you can do to start your session.
Let’s talk about number two now, not playing a losing game the rest of the time. To help in this pursuit, you should use the other great tool provided by the poker room, player notes. Take good player notes that will actually help you make quality, information-based decisions later. Don’t waste your time making player notes that won’t help. ‘Fish” or “maniac” or “call this guy!” are not going to do much for you two weeks from now when that person may be in a different mood. Contrast that kind of note with “called a large preflop raise with AJ” or “called a large all-in bet on the turn with a flush draw.” Do you see how those types of notes are much more likely to help you in a future situation? You need to be specific, because with a general note you probably won’t be able to recall the context in which you were making it.
All Poker Tracker really does is help you categorize types of opponents and give you good data to study your own game by. Now those can be good things. But if you get caught up in that instead of taking actual useful notes and concentrating on building a list of easy-to-find customers, your efforts will likely become derailed and your results will suffer accordingly.
Andrew Kasch is the author of the popular ebook “How to Shake the Online Poker Money Tree.” Get 5 free hot online poker tips at his website www.onlinepokerincome.com right now!
