Poker can be a very rewarding game if you learn the right lessons. It will push your math skills in the right direction and it teaches you how to think critically about situations. In addition, it teaches you to remain patient when the chips are down which can be an invaluable skill in life.
You learn to read players and watch for tells. You will learn to notice things like when a player fiddles with their chips, puts on a ‘poker face’ or is overly aggressive when they have a weak hand. This will help you decide whether to call their bet or bluff. You will also learn to classify players as LAG, TAG, LP Fish or super tight Nits and exploit their tendencies.
Emotional control
Poker is a rollercoaster ride of emotions – stress, excitement and anger are all common feelings at the table. It is important to be able to control your emotions and conceal them when necessary. If you let your emotions boil over at the table, it could lead to negative consequences down the line. Poker teaches you to control your emotions and not let them overtake your decision-making process.
There are many ways to improve your poker, but it’s important to study one concept at a time. Too many players jump around from topic to topic and never really understand a concept fully. For example, they may watch a cbet video on Monday, listen to a podcast about 3bet strategy on Tuesday and then read a book about ICM on Wednesday.