7 things to know before becoming a poker pro
Yuriy SheremetLong before eSports became a profitable sport, making money playing online was synonymous with one thing: poker. The emergence of online poker has led to huge communities of players, inside and outside Brazil, to dedicate themselves to the famous card game in a professional way. Many of these players, such as André Akkari, became famous for participating in international tournaments and acting as promoters of the sport, helping its expansion and dissemination.
In 2020, online poker is one of the most profitable games in the world and has thousands of players who have their cards as their main source of income. But after all, what does it take to become a professional poker player?
1 - Learn the basics
It might seem obvious. But the most important thing before embarking on a poker career is to learn everything about the game. To start with, you need to know all the rules by heart. Knowing how to play poker is quite simple, except that there are a number of factors that may seem unimportant at first, but which are fundamental. In addition to having a deep understanding of the various combinations (ranging from One Pair to Royal Straight Flush) it is important to be familiar with notions such as Small and Big Blinds, the different phases of the game, and the different types of poker that exist.
2 - Choose the right platform
In Brazil, online poker is still not licensed by the Government. But it is possible to play poker legally through websites based abroad. Players who have a good command of English can choose from hundreds of different platforms. But it is also possible to play on sites in Portuguese, particularly through services based in Portugal. 888 poker, for example, is a great place to start. Thanks to a special algorithm, this platform divides players according to their experience, helping newcomers to avoid eventual sharks (experienced players) and contributing to more favorable results.
3 - Avoid the All-in
We are not referring to All-in in the context of the game itself. But we use All-in as a metaphor for managing your finances. If you're looking to build a poker career, the most important thing is to start by adding a little extra money that isn't essential to your accounts. If you start betting your house rent, it will become much more difficult to get stable results. To win at poker it is essential to control your emotions, and this is not possible if you choose to play with money that is essential to your survival. Be responsible.
4 - Keep in mind that it's work
What does it mean to be a professional? There's nothing wrong with choosing a fun job, as the job doesn't have to be boring and tedious. But if you want to be a professional poker player, you first need to realize that your card career won't always be fun. Making money in the competitive world of online poker is quite difficult and requires a lot of experience, dedication, and self-control. If you start playing thinking it's going to be easy to rake in astronomical profits, then chances are you'll end up being disappointed with the real experience of what it means to be a professional poker player.
5 - Learn from your mistakes
Professional poker players are unanimous on this point. If you want to evolve as a player, you need to learn from your mistakes and your best plays. That's why they recommend that you keep a detailed record of all your winnings and losses, as well as all the tournaments you've participated in. Poker is a game that involves luck, but that ultimately depends on your skill and ability to strategy. A personal log of your plays and history as a player can be a very powerful tool for your career as a pro.
6 - Learn from the community
But to be successful at poker is not enough to rely on your personal experience. There is a whole community of players you can learn from. The success of online poker has led to a parallel industry to develop on the Internet: coaching. There are hundreds of paid courses and masterclasses that can help you become a better player. But you don't have to spend money to succeed at poker. Fortunately, there is an active community of players - some of them very prestigious - who give away free tips and advice that can contribute to your skills at the gaming table.
7 - Statistics and technology
With millions of dollars being played out every day on poker sites all over the world, it's important to be on the lookout for tools that can help you win. HUD's, for example, are plug-ins that help professional players to deal in real time with odds, access statistics, and immediately understand the risk involved in each move. These HUDs are not allowed on all platforms, but they are generally accepted and can help take your game to the next level.
Yuriy Sheremet – Expert in mobile gaming and esports among shooters and MOBA games.
At EGamersWorld, Yuriy, as in 2020 when he joined the portal, works with content, albeit with adjustments to his area of responsibility.