When a group of poker players sits around a table, the pressure is on. The blinds have been placed and the pocket hands dealt. Each player looks at his or her cards and watches each other, wondering what each hand holds and where the game is going. Everyone is anxious to win, attempting to maintain their control against the increasing excitement of the game. The betting ensues and the flop is revealed. The excitement dies for some and increases for others. More betting and the players are wondering if they’ve bet too much, or too foolishly. Other wonder if they bet too little or shouldn’t have bet at all. Thus the pressure to bet and win often overcomes each player as they make or break their way to the showdown.



What many players often don’t realize is that winning at Texas Hold’em isn’t about guts or dealing with pressure. It isn’t about recognizing tells in your opponents. It isn’t about bluffing or making the big bets. Winning at Texas Hold’em is about patience, restraint and prudence. This is especially true for Online poker. Experts have said time and time again, that to win at Texas Hold’em, a tight and aggressive strategy is required. Yet, too many people let their excitement and their emotion get away from them, influencing their hand and ultimately causing a loss. And even fewer apply this strategy to their long-term poker lifestyle.









Sometimes people can encounter weeks or months of bad cards. A good poker player learns to ride it out. Betting on bad cards will only cause them more lost money and more frustration. Poker is a game that is won over the long run. There are no rushed bets in professional poker. The best players know that the game has a lot of highs and lows and the only way to play is to remain steady and consistent.



Instead of measuring your success by how much you win or lose each hand or each game, you should measure your success by how much you have won or lost over the period of a month. If you played well, you should have turned a profit. If you haven’t turned a profit, you should ask yourself whether or not you waited patiently for each hand or betted needlessly on busted hands and played too often.



Even if you only play the best hands, you can still be acting too impulsively by putting too much money in. And then, not noticing when another play continues to call or raise your bets. You need to recognize your hands a bust and write off the loss, instead of continuing to bet on a busted hand like it’s the nuts.



When you’re playing too many hands, you’re not being selective enough and you’re not being patient enough. Relax and wait for the good cards. Sometimes this can get boring, but don’t let it loosen up your game. Combat boredom by only playing when you’re alert. It’s your best defense against new players.



What’s that story about the rabbit and the turtle again? Oh yeah, “slow and steady wins the race.”

By: Cyman Harrison -

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Cyman Harrison writes for several Texas Holdem websites including www.PokerTipsandStrategies.com which provides resources to help poker players improve their skills. Do you want to WIN more at Texas Holdem? Get your FREE Poker Guide at: www.holdemadvancedstrategy.com/texas-holdem.html