One of the card games we first learnt to play when we were kids was patience. Either you discovered it sitting around the dining table on a wet Sunday afternoon with a dog-eared pack of cards, or picked it up as one of the first games you ever played on a computer. It is strangely ironic how one of the first card games you ever played describes the ultimate virtue that is required to be a successful poker player.
Amongst the many reasons that a poker player requires patience are:-
- Patience to learn how to play poker – It is not a hard game to understand but one you will never master.
- Patience to wait for the right table – Don´t get on a table just because there is a space. Check out the opposition before you sit down.
- Patience for the right time to play – If you are tired when you start a multi table poker tournament, you are not going to having the energy to complete it!
- Patience to wait for quality hands to play – and patience to not play junk when you don´t get the cards.
- Patience to win one pot at a time – It would be nice to take everybody´s chips in one hit, but unless you are playing sweepstake/all-in poker (which we frown upon) it ain´t going to happen!
- Patience to build up your bankroll – No need to go charging up levels before you are ready. With welcome bonuses and experience, you will get there in time
- Patience to play well when you are losing – The experience of losing is not a nice one, but if you can still play well, it can still be a beneficial one.
- Patience to wait for others to make mistakes – Everybody makes mistakes, but if you are the last player to do so, you will be the one who profits most!
- Patience to learn new games – If you are used to playing No Limit Texas Hold´em, even switching to Flop Limit brings new disciplines.
- Patience to read articles like these – Obviously you want to learn, which is great!
Hopefully some of the virtues mentioned above stick in the mind the next time you are tempted to play a junk hand out of position or leap onto the next tournament that is starting, even though it is way above your level and you have no idea how to play it!
As a footnote, depending on your own personal belief system, you may not have patience listed as a “virtue”. Furthermore, we do not necessarily advocate following all the “virtues” – chastity is one which we believe should be left to the individual to decide on (except when playing poker when it´s compulsory!), generosity is a virtue which will definitely not enhance your poker career, and poverty in poker (poverty apparently really is a virtue!) will only affect you if you fail to use patience!
This post is sponsored by the Cherry Red Casino Review over at www.CherryRedCasinoReview.net
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