Poker is a tough game to master. It demands hours of practice and the ability to quickly analyze your opponents’ actions and adjust accordingly in order to win. If you’re not careful, you could end up losing money and getting frustrated. And if you do find yourself on the wrong side of the action, there’s no one around to rescue you. You’ll have to play it out alone like an average Joe or Jane.
With instant withdrawal online casino Singapore poker, however, you can avoid this pitfall. As long as you know how to pick the right sites, you can learn from some of the top pros at their craft, who will share their strategies with you. Here are three of them: Daniel Negreanu, Jason Mercier, and Chris Ferguson.
Daniel Negreanu
Negreanu has been playing poker professionally for many years and is widely considered to be one of the best players in the world. He currently makes his home in Las Vegas, where he works part-time for Full Tilt Poker.
In Negreanu’s own words, he was “born into poker.” His father taught him how to play when he was only four years old, and by age nine he had already begun competing in local tournaments. At twelve, he won a US$1,500 tournament in San Francisco, which led to another victory at the World Series of Poker later that year.
He also has several other tournament titles to his name, including a World Poker Tour title. Negreanu is also known for his skill in No-Limit Hold ’em, but has recently focused more on Omaha.
While Negreanu may have honed his skills during his youth, he has never really retired from the game. Instead, he’s become a regular fixture at the WSOP, playing in various events throughout the summer.
Jason Mercier
Mercier started playing poker seriously after college, when he began to travel back and forth between New York and Los Angeles. While attending UCLA, he began to study under a man named David Sklansky, who helped him hone his game.
Sklansky is a well-known figure in poker circles, having played against Phil Ivey in high stakes games. When Sklansky died unexpectedly in 2009, Mercier took over his role as the director of the UCLA Game Lab.
Over the years, Mercier has built himself quite a reputation in the poker community. He’s held several world championship titles in both Omaha Hi/Lo and Hold ‘Em (including a record-breaking $2 million win at The Big One for One Drop). He also holds the all-time record for most cash earnings in the history of the World Series of Poker Main Event, earning almost $11 million in total.
Chris Ferguson
Ferguson has been playing poker professionally since 1995, when he began working for Harrah’s Atlantic City as a cocktail server. His career came to a screeching halt in 2003 when he suffered permanent damage to his left knee while doing a cartwheel during his shift. After undergoing surgery to repair the damage, he returned to work, but soon found himself struggling to keep up with the demands of his job.
Eventually, he decided to go back to school, studying psychology and communications. Today, he works as a professional poker player and host on ESPN’s High Stakes Poker.
The thing about these three pro poker players is that they have mastered the art of reading their opponents. They can tell when someone else is bluffing, and they can usually catch on to someone’s tells before they even realize that they’ve been spotted. They’re able to recognize patterns and predict outcomes, giving them a distinct advantage over the less experienced players.
They aren’t the only ones who can read people, though. In fact, just about everyone can improve their poker strategy through learning how to observe others and then use what they see to their advantage. Here are some things to look out for:
Their body language:
Body language can give away a lot, especially during pre-flop raises. Most experts agree that the most important thing to watch for is whether they’re leaning forward or leaning back. If they lean forward, they’re probably trying to force their opponent into folding. If they lean back, they’re likely trying to lull the other person into thinking they have nothing to offer.
Their breathing:
Breathing rate is also something to pay attention to. If they take slow, deep breaths, they’re probably bluffing. On the flip side, if they tend to take short, shallow breaths, they’re probably telling the truth.
Their facial expressions:
Facial expressions are often used to mask deeper emotions. For instance, someone who looks angry may actually be feeling embarrassed or hurt.
How they handle the cards:
We always think we know what our opponents are holding and how they might play it, but we’re seldom correct. There are times when someone will bet weakly but still hold strong hands. Other times, they’ll raise aggressively without showing anything. And other times, they’ll limp in with a hand that appears to be garbage but is actually holding much better cards.
These three pros are great examples of good strategy. You don’t need to spend endless hours watching video footage of other players, but instead focus on what the pros are doing. If you observe the way they act, you can start to get an idea of what they’re capable of. Once you do that, you’ll be able to make your own informed decisions.
