Observation is the Key Skill

Hi poker faces,

We are back with the most important poker skill. The most important thing when it comes to striking a successful game playing strategy in texas hold'em poker is hining your observational skills. If you continually study your opponents you are guaranteed to learn a lot. It's that simple. Most of the time you spend playing you will not be involved in a hand, and you should use that time to observe your opponents. Watch how each player plays their hand and use that information against them. It is important to listen to what they say. A lot of players will tell you what kind of hand they threw away or why they played a hand in a certain way. Try to figure out what they are holding and put them on hands whether you are involved in the pot or not. Consequently, when you are playing a hand with them, you will know what their checks, bets, calls and raises mean. Pay equal attention to your own game and think of your table image at all times. You will notice that some players do not examine the game at all and therefore your table image is virtually non-existent when playing against them. Just as you search for tells in your opponents, look for tells in yourself. When you spot one in an opponent, consider whether or not you are displaying that very same tell. Thus, your observation makes up for most of your strategy. You need not be a scientist. But poker demands superior skills in observation. What matters most is the way you understand your opponents. And the only way you can find out more about them, is only by OBSERVING them !