Learning to play poker for beginners
Back in 2004, the “poker landscape” was very different from what can be seen today. Even the information on https://classicpokercruises.com/red-dog-poker-rules/ today can be studied from different sources. Back in the days of the “manimaker boom” there were a few poker forums worth visiting, a few poker programs and a limited number of books worth reading.
Today, the approach to learning the fascinating card game has changed significantly. There are a huge number of poker forums to join, plus all of this is also available on today’s traditional social media platforms.
There are hundreds of poker programs that you can use to practice, learn and customize different parts of the game. There are hundreds of poker books available and an endless list of random authors writing new ones almost daily.
Evolution of poker theory
In 2004, it took a lot more digging, more manual maths and more group work to get beyond the basic level of poker discourse being discussed. In fact, that’s what put a lot of people off, which is why there weren’t as many poker players at the time as there are now.
In 2023, there is software available for almost every conceivable poker venue, and such a huge amount of high quality free poker content to digest. But it also means that there is a lot of useless information that won’t help or hurt the learning process at all.
Poker in 4 Steps
Learning poker information can be divided into parts. This makes it easier to digest and faster to see if it makes sense at all. There are 4 main parts to be covered, as follows:
- The mathematics of poker.
- Strategy.
- Tactics.
- Psychology and psyche.
Of course, this list can be expanded endlessly, but it is recommended to focus on these 4 things first. Then you can achieve impressive results faster.
Training programs
There are paid and free programs and tools available to help you learn the principles of the game of poker. Some can even turn you into a real professional poker player. But you have to consider your own abilities as well. Not every player can become a professional.
Poker is a game that requires skill in maths, psychology, simple logic and attention. Of course, you can win without all of that, but with an emphasis on your own luck and having a good time. But for a long time “to ride such a horse” will not work.
The Mathematics of Poker
The first and perhaps the most important part is maths. It is the foundation, and therefore there are 4 basic concepts that should be considered:
- Pot odds.
- Expected value.
- frequencies.
- Combo/Blockers.
Once a concept has been explored, it can then be automatically ticked off everywhere. This is the trick. Once a certain set of knowledge has been acquired, it can be applied virtually at all times. But keep in mind that things are constantly changing, so adjustments should be made periodically to keep them up-to-date.
