Is Poker the Game for you?

There are few cooler games in the world than poker. For many, the first image they have of the game is of James Bond dressed to the nines producing a Royal Flush while simultaneously seducing every woman within a 500 yard radius or John Wayne slamming down a pair of Kings before shooting anyone that dared look at him. Now, unless you’re an international man of mystery or an irritable cowboy, the reality of poker might not be quite as life-threatening as you thought it was when you were a child. The game has, however, still maintained its place as the coolest game you can play.

Whether it’s taking part in a tournament at a casino or online, or just enjoying a few hands with the chaps over a few drinks, poker is the perfect game for almost every occasion; be it in the search to challenge for major jackpots or as a way of spending time with friends. As with any other game, poker isn’t quite as enjoyable if you don’t know what you’re doing – and it’s a much more fun game if every now and again you get to leave the table after winning.

The question as to whether poker is a game of luck or skill has been asked ever since the earliest recording of it back in the 16th century – and the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. As well as being aware of the various aspects of playing poker – from the rules to the methods of betting, all the way to how to win a hand – it’s important to learn the skills you need to be successful at the game. There are a number of ways of discovering your poker personality, but you may find your tactics and methods change the more times you play the game.

There are a number of skills needed to be able to leave a poker table as a winner; the ability to plan a strategy, stay cool under pressure, read your opponents, know when to walk away – not to mention the all important ‘poker face’. That said, we’ve all been stung by some lucky soul playing for the first time who possessed none of these talents and still managed to blindly stumble their way to victory. One of the joys of poker is the uncertainty of the game; with the loud clueless newbie winning one week and the silent cowboy wearing sunglasses winning the next.

While winning at poker can obviously depend on the cards you are dealt, the best players know how to still win when Lady Luck isn’t smiling on them. This is one of the main aims of any poker player – all of us waiting for that magical day where the dealer keeps crossing your palms with magic and you’re gathering a small army of chips.

There are a number of skills a man needs to succeed in life; being able to play a sport, change a tire, to know which cables go into where to make the Internet work, and you can add to that list the ability and knowledge to play poker anywhere in the world with anyone.