Common Sense Poker

Contributing Writer: Michelle Mogil

People love to give advice. Considering the myriad sites devoted to tips and strategies, people love to give advice on their winning methods for playing online poker. You can find everything from how to read virtual tells to methods for sharpening the skills necessary to rake in that winning pot.

One large question looms in my mind, though. How do you strategize a good game of poker?

The simple answer is use common sense. As I skimmed through the advice columns and articles, a recurring theme stood out for me: Just Don’t Be Stupid. For example, if you’re dealt the two of hearts and Jack of clubs, it’s considerably wiser to fold rather than take your chances on the board cards turning your way. Don’t allow your emotions to place your bets for you. So, the guy across from you beat your three aces with four jacks. Playing for revenge will distort your judgment and probably cause you to bet on a garbage hand that should have been folded. It seemed to me that the best advice was the most basic: stay calm, stay focused, and don’t risk more than you can afford to lose. Which, come to think of it, is decent advice for just about any endeavor.