One of the easiest players to beat in a poker game is the person who is involved with other games like horse racing or blackjack. In fact, if there is a player at the table who has a Daily Racing Form in his hand, just smile because you have the edge.
I know this to be a fact because I was that person until I wised up and stopped doing it.
Poker is a game of total concentration. A poker player to be effective must stay focused on the game.
You need to observe the other players. Observe their mannerisms, how they act when they raise, how much they bet and anything they do that is even slightly out of line.
I have booked losing sessions because I was dividing my time between playing poker and running to the sports room to make a bet on a horse race or a game. While I would sometimes win my bet, more often I would lose and it would affect my poker play.
Granted, it is fun to be a full-fledged gambler and play other games. It's called action and that is what a gambler craves. But it isn't a wise course of action. A house divided against itself is a house that is destined to fail.
When I sit down at a poker table, I focus my interest on the other players and my cards. I joke with the cocktail waitress and passersby. But I place my concentration on poker. Nothing else matters.
Some of the biggest pots I have ever won came about because I noticed a mannerism that was out of line. For example, there is a player on the World Poker Tour who has a habit of staring at his opposing players when he is trying to run a bluff. if he has a nut hand, he will look off into the distance as though he is not interested in the outcome of the hand. This is a player, by the way, who has booked tremendous wins in the World Series of Poker.
When you are gambling, play only one game at a time. You cannot be an expert on everything you do. The edge you gain in any gambling enterprise is slim to non-existent. Don't blow it by dividing your attention to include another game.
The brain is a highly complex machine that does a great job of helping you solve problems. But even the brain can be overtaxed. Don't ask too much of your cerebral powers. It could be very costly at the poker table.
Veteran poker players relish it when they see a player who is leafing through a Daily Racing Form at the table. They take advantage of the situation by over-betting the pot, knowing the player will probably throw away his hand. And believe me, it works eight times out of 10.
Poker can be a relaxing and profitable game if you stay focused. It can become very unpleasant and unprofitable when you try to accomplish too many things at the same time. Remember this rule and you'll be miles ahead of the game. Trust me. Let the games begin.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
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