There are mysteries in life that some people never learn. We can live a lifetime without unraveling some of these mysteries.
Let's take the game of poker for example.
Poker in one form or another has been part of mankind for hundreds of years. Nobody is a 'born' poker player.
To become proficient at winning, you need to observe and study, study and observe, and do it over and over again and still you may not be ready to take on the TRUE champions.
A true champion of poker is like a prospector who has discovered a gold mine. He KNOWS where it is located...
...and he knows precisely where the richest veins can be found. But is he going to reveal this information to you or the world? Whatever could possess him to do such a silly thing? These are secrets he will carry with him to his dying day.
The many forms of poker make the game even more puzzling to the average player. When I first started playing poker in the late 1960s...
...the most popular games were five card lowball with a joker, five card draw with a joker, and seven card stud. We NEVER used a joker in seven card stud.
I spent years learning these games, and even won some limit tournaments playing lowball and seven card stud. I had the games down pretty pat when something happened:
Two new games came along that displaced lowball and seven card stud. They were Texas Holdem and Omaha High-Low.
The new games were faster and action-oriented. It didn't take long to attract a new breed of poker player, one with deep pockets and a craving for speed. Almost overnight it seemed the limit games were replaced by no limit and pot limit.
I know a lot of oldtime poker players who were absolutely devastated by the new games. They could not adapt to them. The new games cost them money and broke many of the veteran players. Some of them even gave up poker and switched their gambling activities to dice, baccarat or handicapping horses.
All of my poker playing friends are aware of the big money that is up for grabs in today's tournaments. Untold numbers of people have become professional poker players. Never mind that some of them have little idea of what they are doing. They have deep pockets...
...some of them from legitimate businesses or even selling drugs. Nothing intimidates them! If they lose a lot of money, they can always replace it and try again. No big deal.
Hundreds of winning players have added to their bankrolls by writing strategy books about poker. Nobody is more famous in this field than Doyle Brunson. He was one of the more honest players who told his readers what they had to do to win.
I have been a student of Brunson's tactics over the years. He is one of the most aggressive players in the business. He takes pride into going into a pot with the worst hand, going all in, and coming out a winner!
The secret behind his success is simple:
Brunson knows what his odds are of winning the pot. Let's say a player has raised him with pocket aces or kings. Doyle calls with a nine seven of spades. The flop comes 10-8-3. The player comes out betting his high pair.
What does Doyle do? He goes all in.
What does the player holding the top pair do? He studies his hand. And studies. And thinks. And more often than not, he throws his cards into the muck.
If he does call the all-in bet and turns over his pocket aces, Brunson knows the odds against him completing his straight are about 4 to 1. Sometimes he hits it, and sometimes he doesn't.
If he does make his straight, the other player thinks he was lucky, but that is not really the case. Doyle knew what his chances were when he made the all in bet and he was willing to risk his bankroll. I submit that this is what good poker is all about.
There is only one final question I will pose to you:
Do you have the courage to make such a bet? Are you willing to gamble knowing you probably have the worst hand?
If you are, congratulations. You, my friend, are on your way to becoming a wining and maybe even a great poker player!
