Manage Your Luck
Poker is a game of skill and luck. The way to improve your skill is to practice playing and studying advice from pros. And though luck is a factor – it is a misconception to think that you have no control over it at all.
Luck can be managed and leveraged to improve your game. The first rule of thumb is to not push your luck when it isn’t necessary. This means don’t put your chips at risk in marginal situations. An all-in move with the second best hand can end your tournament at the casino pretty quick. You are tempting luck (and a caller) in this situation.
Sometimes you will just get plain lucky, like flopping a full boat to hit the nuts. You must prepare to manage your luck on the rare occasion it comes your way. Players can get so excited in these situations, that they bet out too big or too fast and chase away other players. Stay calm, and think before you act when you’ve gotten lucky. Think about value betting or checking to make a slow play. Steady yourself and plan your action instead of making impulsive moves when you get lucky.
You can also attempt to eliminate luck for other poker players by betting out big when you have a made hand. Don’t let them get lucky by drawing to an inside straight. Make it expensive to see another card, and you can probably win right there with no lucky suck-outs beating your hand.
And finally, recognize that sometimes you will get unlucky and don’t let it mar your thinking. Accept it, move on, and don’t engage in negative self-bashing. Look ahead to the next hand or game, and resolve to improve for better results.
