by Rory Monahan
The SECRET To Poker...
Let me ask you something.
Have you ever played poker with someone who seemed to CONSISTENTLY catch lucky cards, time after time after time?
Im not talking about any luck.
Im talking about the kind of luck where your opponent flops a boat... gets dealt pocket rockets... catches a flush on the river...
And so on.
Have you ever found yourself wondering: "Jeez... he cant POSSIBLY catch another hand like that- its simply statistically impossible!"
Yet... the luck CONTINUES, until he rakes in all the chips, and empties your pockets.
And then you go home for the night.
And you rationalize to yourself that the only reason you lost was because your opponent was LUCKY... and that you just couldnt seem to catch any good cards.
Am I right?
If youve ever been through this, youre not alone my friend. Far from it.
Because THAT is exactly what poker is all about...
If the odds played out the way theyre "supposed to" every time, poker wouldnt be fun at all.
Indeed, over time... eventually... the odds will "catch up" and "even out".
If you caught a cold run of cards last night, you may get hot tonight.
Then again, you may not.
So... heres the million dollar question:
Is it possible to somehow "control" the unpredictable nature of poker odds?
I have the answer...
And here it is...
No!
Of course not!
Are you crazy?!
This is the mistake amateurs make. They catch some good cards, win a few times, and then think theyre "poker naturals".
Then they watch Rounders... maybe buy a chip set and some "casino" cards... and start fantasizing about making it to the final table of WSOP.
THEN... these players catch a BAD streak of cards.
They run into some bad beats.
They get beat by other amateurs.
And you want to know what they do after that?
THEY WHINE ABOUT BEING UNLUCKY!
But they forget the cardinal rule.
And that is...
TEXAS HOLD EM POKER IS NOT ABOUT LUCK!
This is so important, its worth repeating:
TEXAS HOLD EM POKER IS NOT ABOUT LUCK!
Got it?
Now... here is the REAL secret about Texas hold em poker.
Instead of thinking about odds and luck, you should be thinking about HOW YOU CAN LEVERAGE THE POKER ODDS AND LUCK IN YOUR FAVOR.
Heres what I mean...
Ive broken it down into four categories.
I call these the "4 Stages of Momentum."
Stage 1: HOT STREAK
This is when you catch tons of great cards and "lucky" draws.
Stage 2: CATCHING COLD
This is when you keep getting "scraps" and bad draws.
Stage 3: TILT
This is when you start acting crazy and making poor decisions... usually because of a previous bad beat.
Stage 4: READ MACHINE
This is when youve got a fantastic read on your opponents and know what to play in each situation. (This, of course, is the stage you want to be in.)
Okay... now, back to the secret.
When youre playing hold em, you WILL go through each of these 4 stages of momentum at different times.
Sometimes youll be hot... sometimes youll be cold... sometimes youll be on tilt... and sometimes youll have a great read on the other players.
And just as importantly, the OTHER PLAYERS at the table will each go through these 4 stages as well.
The secret is to learn how to CAPTIALIZE on these "natural" forces of momentum.
When you catch a great streak of cards, be thankful for your good fortune and start PLAYING MORE AGGRESSIVELY.
This will keep the momentum on your side and put other players on TILT.
Control the tempo and speed of the game and take on the characteristics of the "table leader". Other players will start saying, "Check to the better" and will give YOU the power in the game.
Youll get opportunities to see cheap flops when youre weak, and raise the prices when youre strong.
THIS is how you get hot... and STAY hot.
Now... what about when you start catching COLD cards? What then?
Catching a cold streak of cards can quickly zap away your chip stack. To prevent this from happening, heres what you do...
First, be AWARE that the cold streak is happening. Become conscious of whats going on... and notice which players at the table are hot.
Then- this is important- you must tighten up your playing style. Even though the odds are the same, hands that you might play when youre HOT wont be the same as hands you should play when youre COLD.
I know this sounds strange, but stay with me here.
Some players, when they get cold, start to loosen up their play... hoping to see more flops.
Bad idea.
Tighten up, only play your good hands, and wait for the tides of luck to change back in your favor...
And then theres TILT.
Tilt is the "cancer" of a poker player. If you go on tilt, just one bad decision can ultimately lead to your losing the game.
Tilt creates a negative momentum that will lead you to lost pots and more bad luck...
So how can you avoid tilt?
Well, since tilt is usually the result of a bad beat, youve got to BE AWARE OF YOUR BEHAVIOR after a bad beat.
Personally, any time I get a bad beat, I instantly fold the next 5 hands or so (unlessIve got a high pocket pair).
Its kind of like taking a break.
This gives me the chance to cool off.. and "restart" my thinking process.
The NATURAL behavior after a bad beat is to immediately start betting more aggressively, in hopes of winning back the chips you just lost.
Of course, that will just hurt you further.
So when you feel "tilt" creeping into you, take a break and relax. Clear your mind and start to mount a comeback.
Theres another element to all of this that I havent mentioned much, and thats watching what stages the OTHER players are going through.
When someone at the table gets HOT, what do you normally do?
Most players feel BITTER and start to play AGAINST the guy who keeps getting lucky.
They want to beat him!
Right?
But... like we talked about earlier... the secret to poker is NOT trying to take things into your own hands...
The secret is to LEVERAGE whats happening.
If someone else is hot, dont go up against them. Especially avoid trying to bluff them or going heads up for a big pot (unless youve got a monster).
Instead of giving this lucky player a chance at winning your chips, MINIMIZE their luck.
Dont let them win too much.
Make sense?
Its the same way with tilt.
When you see someone on tilt, you DEFINITELY want to take advantage of the situation.
Make a large pre-flop raise and try to go heads up with the guy on tilt. YOU want to be the one who wins all his chips...
After all... hes on tilt... so theres a good chance hes going to make a stupid bet.
The secret is to BE THE ONE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIS BAD BETS...
Try to force him all in and win the rest of his stack.
Its all about LEVERAGE, my friend.
So remember...
The next time you play, heres how you can put into action what youve just learned:
- Know the 4 stages of momentum (good cards, bad cards, good reads, and tilt) and recognize what stage youre in at all times.
- Watch the other players at the table and know which stage of momentum THEYRE in.
- LEVERAGE each stage accordingly. Dont go heads up against someone whos got luck on their side. Take a breather when you feel yourself going on tilt.
Play tight when youve got a bad run of cards. And win as many chips as possible when luck is on YOUR side.
Try out these concepts... and watch your poker profits go up dramatically.
Of course, the 4 stages of momentum and the concept of leverage are just two small pieces of the puzzle...
Theres much, much more required in order to become a really killer poker player.
You wont learn by just watching poker on TV.
Practice will help, but its still not enough.
Youve got to learn the strategies and techniques, AND the LOGIC BEHIND THEM.
Youve got to learn what works and WHY THINGS WORK the way they do.
You need the complete SYSTEM of strategies, techniques, and ideas...
OK, now listen.
You know the deal...
Youve been on my newsletter list for a long time now. So you know all about my "Texas Holdem Secrets" poker course...
Which is why Im NOT going to try to sell you on it...
BY NOW, you probably know whether or not "Texas Holdem Secrets" is right for you.
So if you want to take your poker skills to a new level, buy my course and put it into action.
It will surely pay for itself the first night you play cards. Here is the link:
http://texas-holdem-tips-n-tricks.top-10-list.com/
And if youve already got my course, stay tuned. Because more great stuff is on its way for you in the upcoming months.
Your Friend,
Rory Monahan
P.S. Poker isnt voodoo... or magic.
And its not rocket science either.
The 4 stages of momentum are an important key to understanding the game and making more profits by LEVERAGING what happens in real life at the card table.
And its just the beginning... the beginning of your transformation into a true "poker shark."
To get ALL my secrets, go here: http://texas-holdem-tips-n-tricks.top-10-list.com/
to read more articles go here: read more articles at http://texas-holdem-tips-n-tricks.blogspot.com/
Poker Pro - read more articles at http://texas-holdem-tips-n-tricks.blogspot.com/ Download ebook at http://texas-holdem-tips-n-tricks.top-10-list.com/
The SECRET To Poker...
Let me ask you something.
Have you ever played poker with someone who seemed to CONSISTENTLY catch lucky cards, time after time after time?
Im not talking about any luck.
Im talking about the kind of luck where your opponent flops a boat... gets dealt pocket rockets... catches a flush on the river...
And so on.
Have you ever found yourself wondering: "Jeez... he cant POSSIBLY catch another hand like that- its simply statistically impossible!"
Yet... the luck CONTINUES, until he rakes in all the chips, and empties your pockets.
And then you go home for the night.
And you rationalize to yourself that the only reason you lost was because your opponent was LUCKY... and that you just couldnt seem to catch any good cards.
Am I right?
If youve ever been through this, youre not alone my friend. Far from it.
Because THAT is exactly what poker is all about...
If the odds played out the way theyre "supposed to" every time, poker wouldnt be fun at all.
Indeed, over time... eventually... the odds will "catch up" and "even out".
If you caught a cold run of cards last night, you may get hot tonight.
Then again, you may not.
So... heres the million dollar question:
Is it possible to somehow "control" the unpredictable nature of poker odds?
I have the answer...
And here it is...
No!
Of course not!
Are you crazy?!
This is the mistake amateurs make. They catch some good cards, win a few times, and then think theyre "poker naturals".
Then they watch Rounders... maybe buy a chip set and some "casino" cards... and start fantasizing about making it to the final table of WSOP.
THEN... these players catch a BAD streak of cards.
They run into some bad beats.
They get beat by other amateurs.
And you want to know what they do after that?
THEY WHINE ABOUT BEING UNLUCKY!
But they forget the cardinal rule.
And that is...
TEXAS HOLD EM POKER IS NOT ABOUT LUCK!
This is so important, its worth repeating:
TEXAS HOLD EM POKER IS NOT ABOUT LUCK!
Got it?
Now... here is the REAL secret about Texas hold em poker.
Instead of thinking about odds and luck, you should be thinking about HOW YOU CAN LEVERAGE THE POKER ODDS AND LUCK IN YOUR FAVOR.
Heres what I mean...
Ive broken it down into four categories.
I call these the "4 Stages of Momentum."
Stage 1: HOT STREAK
This is when you catch tons of great cards and "lucky" draws.
Stage 2: CATCHING COLD
This is when you keep getting "scraps" and bad draws.
Stage 3: TILT
This is when you start acting crazy and making poor decisions... usually because of a previous bad beat.
Stage 4: READ MACHINE
This is when youve got a fantastic read on your opponents and know what to play in each situation. (This, of course, is the stage you want to be in.)
Okay... now, back to the secret.
When youre playing hold em, you WILL go through each of these 4 stages of momentum at different times.
Sometimes youll be hot... sometimes youll be cold... sometimes youll be on tilt... and sometimes youll have a great read on the other players.
And just as importantly, the OTHER PLAYERS at the table will each go through these 4 stages as well.
The secret is to learn how to CAPTIALIZE on these "natural" forces of momentum.
When you catch a great streak of cards, be thankful for your good fortune and start PLAYING MORE AGGRESSIVELY.
This will keep the momentum on your side and put other players on TILT.
Control the tempo and speed of the game and take on the characteristics of the "table leader". Other players will start saying, "Check to the better" and will give YOU the power in the game.
Youll get opportunities to see cheap flops when youre weak, and raise the prices when youre strong.
THIS is how you get hot... and STAY hot.
Now... what about when you start catching COLD cards? What then?
Catching a cold streak of cards can quickly zap away your chip stack. To prevent this from happening, heres what you do...
First, be AWARE that the cold streak is happening. Become conscious of whats going on... and notice which players at the table are hot.
Then- this is important- you must tighten up your playing style. Even though the odds are the same, hands that you might play when youre HOT wont be the same as hands you should play when youre COLD.
I know this sounds strange, but stay with me here.
Some players, when they get cold, start to loosen up their play... hoping to see more flops.
Bad idea.
Tighten up, only play your good hands, and wait for the tides of luck to change back in your favor...
And then theres TILT.
Tilt is the "cancer" of a poker player. If you go on tilt, just one bad decision can ultimately lead to your losing the game.
Tilt creates a negative momentum that will lead you to lost pots and more bad luck...
So how can you avoid tilt?
Well, since tilt is usually the result of a bad beat, youve got to BE AWARE OF YOUR BEHAVIOR after a bad beat.
Personally, any time I get a bad beat, I instantly fold the next 5 hands or so (unlessIve got a high pocket pair).
Its kind of like taking a break.
This gives me the chance to cool off.. and "restart" my thinking process.
The NATURAL behavior after a bad beat is to immediately start betting more aggressively, in hopes of winning back the chips you just lost.
Of course, that will just hurt you further.
So when you feel "tilt" creeping into you, take a break and relax. Clear your mind and start to mount a comeback.
Theres another element to all of this that I havent mentioned much, and thats watching what stages the OTHER players are going through.
When someone at the table gets HOT, what do you normally do?
Most players feel BITTER and start to play AGAINST the guy who keeps getting lucky.
They want to beat him!
Right?
But... like we talked about earlier... the secret to poker is NOT trying to take things into your own hands...
The secret is to LEVERAGE whats happening.
If someone else is hot, dont go up against them. Especially avoid trying to bluff them or going heads up for a big pot (unless youve got a monster).
Instead of giving this lucky player a chance at winning your chips, MINIMIZE their luck.
Dont let them win too much.
Make sense?
Its the same way with tilt.
When you see someone on tilt, you DEFINITELY want to take advantage of the situation.
Make a large pre-flop raise and try to go heads up with the guy on tilt. YOU want to be the one who wins all his chips...
After all... hes on tilt... so theres a good chance hes going to make a stupid bet.
The secret is to BE THE ONE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIS BAD BETS...
Try to force him all in and win the rest of his stack.
Its all about LEVERAGE, my friend.
So remember...
The next time you play, heres how you can put into action what youve just learned:
- Know the 4 stages of momentum (good cards, bad cards, good reads, and tilt) and recognize what stage youre in at all times.
- Watch the other players at the table and know which stage of momentum THEYRE in.
- LEVERAGE each stage accordingly. Dont go heads up against someone whos got luck on their side. Take a breather when you feel yourself going on tilt.
Play tight when youve got a bad run of cards. And win as many chips as possible when luck is on YOUR side.
Try out these concepts... and watch your poker profits go up dramatically.
Of course, the 4 stages of momentum and the concept of leverage are just two small pieces of the puzzle...
Theres much, much more required in order to become a really killer poker player.
You wont learn by just watching poker on TV.
Practice will help, but its still not enough.
Youve got to learn the strategies and techniques, AND the LOGIC BEHIND THEM.
Youve got to learn what works and WHY THINGS WORK the way they do.
You need the complete SYSTEM of strategies, techniques, and ideas...
OK, now listen.
You know the deal...
Youve been on my newsletter list for a long time now. So you know all about my "Texas Holdem Secrets" poker course...
Which is why Im NOT going to try to sell you on it...
BY NOW, you probably know whether or not "Texas Holdem Secrets" is right for you.
So if you want to take your poker skills to a new level, buy my course and put it into action.
It will surely pay for itself the first night you play cards. Here is the link:
http://texas-holdem-tips-n-tricks.top-10-list.com/
And if youve already got my course, stay tuned. Because more great stuff is on its way for you in the upcoming months.
Your Friend,
Rory Monahan
P.S. Poker isnt voodoo... or magic.
And its not rocket science either.
The 4 stages of momentum are an important key to understanding the game and making more profits by LEVERAGING what happens in real life at the card table.
And its just the beginning... the beginning of your transformation into a true "poker shark."
To get ALL my secrets, go here: http://texas-holdem-tips-n-tricks.top-10-list.com/
to read more articles go here: read more articles at http://texas-holdem-tips-n-tricks.blogspot.com/
Poker Pro - read more articles at http://texas-holdem-tips-n-tricks.blogspot.com/ Download ebook at http://texas-holdem-tips-n-tricks.top-10-list.com/