The Boring Truth

The first step to beating someone is understanding their motivation. Excitement draws people to the poker room. They come with what money they can spare (or can't spare) in anticipation of out-witting opponents and winning big pots. They act for the benefit of some invisible audience to whom they wish to gain approval from. As much as they dream of winning money, what they really all want is to be admired.

People are drawn to poker because they believe that courage and audacity are the most important skills a poker player can possess. They want to make a living being courageous and audacious. Is this what draws you to the game? Be honest. Of course it is. It's what draws everyone to the game.

Here is where I burst the bubble. The most important skill a poker player can possess is not keen psychological insight, or mathematical genius, or even courage. It is patience. But before you get discouraged and give up poker, let me tell you the beautiful secret: If you have the patience to find the still heart at the centre of the game, you will be successful. Poker is a game for Buddhists.

Yesterday I made $222 playing $1/$2 no-limit for five hours. I did nothing particularly brilliant, but I had the patience to wait until two very fortunate things happened to me. By not playing a lot of hands I allowed myself to be at the table when the cards fell the right way.

The session started badly. About twenty minutes in I lost half my stack when my pocket queens were beat by a guy who flopped a set of fives. I folded pretty much everything for the next two hours until the first lightning strike. I was in the small blind with pocket aces. A fellow in early position raised to $15 and there was one caller, so I was fairly confident if I re-raised I'd get called. I raised to $40. Then the heavens parted and the angels sang: the original better shoved his entire stack, about $200, into the middle - and the second guy calls! Of course I put all my chips in. I hit another ace on the flop and triple-up: my $150 in chips magically turning into $450.

The other nice pot I won also required no skill on my part. I was on the button with 5 7 off-suit and was going to throw it away when something strange happened. The first player limped in and every single player after him called the $2 bet! There was $15 in the pot, so even though my cards sucked I was getting fantastic pot odds. I threw in my $2 and joined the party. The small blind completed and the big blind checked. All nine players saw the flop. And guess what? I flopped the straight: 3 4 6 rainbow hit the board. Everyone checked. I bet $12 and a guy after me re-raised it $30. Huh? I call. The turn is a 7, which might have completed the straight for him, but I'm probably still good. I see my opponent has about $100 in chips, so I raise him all in....and because I can't believe how stupid this situation is I actually start giggling uncontrollably! Everyone looks at me like I'm nuts, and maybe the giggles get my opponent to think I'm bluffing because he calls. The river is a blank. I show my straight and he mucks his losing hand.

So there are two hands that it took no skill whatsoever to play, but made me a good deal of money. The reason I won those hands was because I had the patience to fold all the crap for hours and hours, until the money fell in my lap.