Obviously you need to know how to play the game, so grab a book and start reading if you don't. I could tell you all about the odds calculations and game strategies, but that would make this post way too big. There are many great books available and almost any book has covered at least the foundations of the game. I would recommend any books written by Doyle Brunson (Super System), Barry Greenstein (Ace on the River), Dan Harrington or David Sklansky.
Most people think you have to be a genius player to be able to make a living of poker, but it's not necessary at all. There are so many bad players (called donkeys or fish) around, so if you are a basic conservative player you have potential to play poker for a living.
So what does it really take to be able to become a "professional" player? Everything is based upon these two factors.
Poker Discipline and Bankroll Management
The more disciplined you are the more likely you will make steady wins. Without discipline you will go broke sooner or later and more than once, even if you're the luckiest person in the world. So stick to these rules.
Play only if you are focused and fit.
Don't play too many hands with crappy cards.
Don't drink too much while playing, or better don't drink at all.
Play within your limits and avoid "gambling" when the odds are against you.
Know when to change tables or stop playing for the day.
Be ruthless on the table and hold no prisoners.
Stick with your bankroll management.
Bankroll management is just as crucial and also takes a lot of discipline. Most players forget about this because they play for other reasons than to make a steady income. Many players play for fun, or love to gamble, play above their limits to get more excitement, or they believe they can beat the game at any stakes. But bad runs are inevitable in any poker game so you need to be able to recover from these. So keep your "personal" money and your poker money separate. Play only a small percent of your bankroll and if you might run into a losing streak, lower the stakes. As your bankroll grows, you can crank it up a notch and see if you can beat the higher limits. I won't go into the technical stuff as it is covered in most of the books.
Just keep in mind, poker can be a very tough game as you can do everything right and still lose. But if you honor these two elements, you'll be making money in the long run. Every player will face a bad run at some time, it's not uncommon and you need to pull yourself through this. In the long run we all have about the same amount of luck as we have bad luck. So only the players who can handle them self during these swings will survive.
Most people think you have to be a genius player to be able to make a living of poker, but it's not necessary at all. There are so many bad players (called donkeys or fish) around, so if you are a basic conservative player you have potential to play poker for a living.
So what does it really take to be able to become a "professional" player? Everything is based upon these two factors.
Poker Discipline and Bankroll Management
The more disciplined you are the more likely you will make steady wins. Without discipline you will go broke sooner or later and more than once, even if you're the luckiest person in the world. So stick to these rules.
Play only if you are focused and fit.
Don't play too many hands with crappy cards.
Don't drink too much while playing, or better don't drink at all.
Play within your limits and avoid "gambling" when the odds are against you.
Know when to change tables or stop playing for the day.
Be ruthless on the table and hold no prisoners.
Stick with your bankroll management.
Bankroll management is just as crucial and also takes a lot of discipline. Most players forget about this because they play for other reasons than to make a steady income. Many players play for fun, or love to gamble, play above their limits to get more excitement, or they believe they can beat the game at any stakes. But bad runs are inevitable in any poker game so you need to be able to recover from these. So keep your "personal" money and your poker money separate. Play only a small percent of your bankroll and if you might run into a losing streak, lower the stakes. As your bankroll grows, you can crank it up a notch and see if you can beat the higher limits. I won't go into the technical stuff as it is covered in most of the books.
Just keep in mind, poker can be a very tough game as you can do everything right and still lose. But if you honor these two elements, you'll be making money in the long run. Every player will face a bad run at some time, it's not uncommon and you need to pull yourself through this. In the long run we all have about the same amount of luck as we have bad luck. So only the players who can handle them self during these swings will survive.
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