How many books, posts and articles are there about winning poker tournaments? About 4.2 gadabazillion. I'm not going to bore you with some long in-depth phil hellmuth explanation. I use one easy to understand thought process when playing in tournaments and here it is.
So many poker players are thick headed they want to believe Texas Hold Em is a game of pure skill to enhance their shrunken ego. I'm sorry but it's really 50% luck, 50% skill which really works out to equal the word gambling when it's all said and done.
The point I want to get across to you is that you shouldn't worry about your cards and what starting hand to play and all of the things players get scared with. Focus more on the players - Mainly how they are acting and what they are doing. Do they look pissed off because they just lost, are they tired, do they have a lot of chips left, etc. The cards are really secondary. Work on telling a story to the players by your own actions and your own image. Do you feel tired, then you should look alert and strong. Are you pissed off and tilting, then take a breather. The same rules apply for yourself.
I always related poker to the animal kingdom, especially how wolves and packs of dogs act toward each other. Try to be that alpha player at your table. The one who puts others in their place if they screw with them. Find ways to bend other players to your will and desires. The cards are secondary. The sooner you can master this, the sooner you will find yourself in a position to strike even if you're holding crap. Let's face it, if you're meant to win, you're meant to win. Aces get cracked, kings get cracked and 4 players at your table could be holding pocket 10's, J's, Q's and Kings. Of course you'll have the kings and the guy with the 10's catches his trips. I said it a few times but remember, the cards are secondary.
I always pick a new image every live tournament I enter. I even dress the part and act the part down to the shirt on my back. The image that has worked really well is acting like a complete and total novice. Purposely play every hand I'm dealt, purposely ask stupid questions, the whole nine yards. It's funny but in combination with this "image", a lot of the players instantly believe I'm a moron on my first trip to a casino wanting to play poker.
What does this do for me?
For one, It allows me to gain respect when I really reveal my skill set. Two, it strikes fear into the players when they realize that moron over there is actually not a moron at all. This is my spin on a wolf in sheep's clothing. You can make a greater impact and impression when you are mislabeled. It will scare the minds of others when they realize they were wrong about the label. If they were wrong about the label they placed on you, are they wrong about the cards they've been playing, or cards they haven't been playing. Create doubt, create worry, create fear, create wonder. Expose yourself after the second or third break in the tournament and they wont know what hit them.
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