My favorite hand to play.
It's no secret I'm Lady Gaga's No. 1 fan, and once her single "Poker Face" hit America's blessed radios in late 2008, I was out the door and on my way to Target to buy some playing cards and a "Texas Hold'em for Dummies" book. I wanted to understand the song to its full extent. That's how much I like Gaga.
Weeks later, I understood. Gaga likes chicks, too. I was left with that bit of cool knowledge, and - once I found a playing hole - an addiction: poker.
Because that's what you call something you can't quit, an addiction. Like the game itself, it's very mental. Thank goodness I haven't gone broke. Yet.
"It's 5 a.m., I've been sitting here for 10 hours, I'm dead tired, I want to leave, but I'm winning."
"One more orbit."
Call it a bad romance. I am sick.
But what makes you a good poker player, you might ask? IMO, Poker isn’t about luck. Poker is about probabilities. And it isn’t about intimidation, it’s about patience and well-timed aggression.
Or at least it should be. But not everyone plays the same, which is great. If everyone played alike, then poker, Texas Hold’em poker, would indeed be all about luck and I would never be able to make any money off the bottom-of-the-poker-food-chain players, more famously known as “donkeys.”
THEY’re the donkeys, right?
If you want to play, find a poker identity, and stick to it. Don’t try to play like anyone else. No matter how much fun it seems. Of course, it’s always good to add a couple of moves to your poker game. Just don’t try to be Tom Dwan.
And don't try to read muh muh muh muh p-p-p-poker face.
Bonus - The way I play (as told by the San Fernando Valley’s finest):
- If there’s a raise pre-flop, and I re-raise, I have - at least - pocket kings.
- I always check the flop even though I always have the best hand, and if I bet, beware, you best believe I have the nuts (the best possible hand at the time).
- I never bluff. Ever.
P.S. I was just kidding about learning poker because of Lady Gaga's song. Although I do like that song, and "Just Dance."
Weeks later, I understood. Gaga likes chicks, too. I was left with that bit of cool knowledge, and - once I found a playing hole - an addiction: poker.
Because that's what you call something you can't quit, an addiction. Like the game itself, it's very mental. Thank goodness I haven't gone broke. Yet.
"It's 5 a.m., I've been sitting here for 10 hours, I'm dead tired, I want to leave, but I'm winning."
"One more orbit."
Call it a bad romance. I am sick.
But what makes you a good poker player, you might ask? IMO, Poker isn’t about luck. Poker is about probabilities. And it isn’t about intimidation, it’s about patience and well-timed aggression.
Or at least it should be. But not everyone plays the same, which is great. If everyone played alike, then poker, Texas Hold’em poker, would indeed be all about luck and I would never be able to make any money off the bottom-of-the-poker-food-chain players, more famously known as “donkeys.”
THEY’re the donkeys, right?
If you want to play, find a poker identity, and stick to it. Don’t try to play like anyone else. No matter how much fun it seems. Of course, it’s always good to add a couple of moves to your poker game. Just don’t try to be Tom Dwan.
And don't try to read muh muh muh muh p-p-p-poker face.
Bonus - The way I play (as told by the San Fernando Valley’s finest):
- If there’s a raise pre-flop, and I re-raise, I have - at least - pocket kings.
- I always check the flop even though I always have the best hand, and if I bet, beware, you best believe I have the nuts (the best possible hand at the time).
- I never bluff. Ever.
P.S. I was just kidding about learning poker because of Lady Gaga's song. Although I do like that song, and "Just Dance."