Clear Thinking
- By Curtis Steuber
- Published 04/1/2008
- Poker
- Unrated
Clarity of thinking is something
everyone needs. Clear thinking is beneficial for everyday life. There are
always difficult decisions to make under strenuous conditions. Being able to
think your way through a situation can help you make the right decision. Online
poker is no different from life in this respect.
When you are involved in a hand, it
is important to not only take time to think about the situation, but to analyze
it. If you only play the cards you are dealt your level of play will not
advance as much as you want and the results you are able to achieve will
stagnate. After being dealt your cards, being able to put your opponents on a
hand or range of hands is critical to properly playing your own hand.
The best time to play is when you
have the time to play. Often players will jump online and play when they are
busy dealing with other things. Outside distractions can negatively affect your
ability to play. If you play in an online poker room make sure you are focusing on what is
happening and resist the temptation to do multiple things at once.
Concentrating on the players and your cards will help you play better poker. It
is also best to play when you are thinking clearly. If you have troubles
focusing after a certain time then do not play after that time. All too often
players play when they are tired, this is a mistake that can easily be fixed.
Once the cards are dealt to the rest of the players and you see a flop, this is where your ability to put players on hands becomes critical. Being tuned in to what is happening can save your stack. Nothing is worse than putting your money in when you are drawing dead. Conversely, being able to pick off a bluff requires thinking through the hand. Being able to piece together what happened requires you to focus and concentrate.

