Casinos talk about whales. These are the guys – or girls – who love to bet big at the high roller tables. The casinos take good care of them with lavish comps and VIP benefits. After all, the house always wins, and when a whale bets, they can win big. In the world of tournament poker, there is no house edge and there are no whales. But there are sharks.
At the poker table, it is a case of eat or be eaten. Poker sharks prey on smaller sharks and little fish. Every poker player wants to be a shark. It’s not something that can be achieved overnight, but the following tips will set you on the right path.
Practice, practice, practice
Poker legend Mike Sexton famously said Texas Holdem poker takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. Woody Allen equally famously said a shark has to keep moving or it dies. Combine the two, and the message is clear. To become a poker shark, every day at the poker table has to be a school day. If you are not progressing, those around you are, and you will transform from hunter to hunted in the blink of an eye.
Even if you don’t have time to attend as many poker tournaments in person as you would like, there are numerous legal US poker platforms where you can play online poker with real money. Over the past three years, online poker has become the go-to choice for some of the top players in the world, so the challenge can be just as stern online as in a poker room.
Take comfort in discomfort
Sharks can adapt to any situation the poker table throws at them. That only comes from challenging yourself and seeking to play outside your comfort zone at every opportunity. Do so enough, and you start to take comfort in discomfort and face every challenge with relish instead of trepidation.
That applies to the playing conditions – online, in person, at a casino or a private club, but also to the game itself. Play against as many different opponents as possible, it is the only way you will learn to adapt to diverse styles of play.
Adopt a balanced strategy
Just as a shark must be ready to adapt to any situation, it must equally be ready to change things up at a moment’s notice to capture and devour its prey. If you have an indifferent hand, you’ll be equally comfortable and confident folding pre-flop or throwing in the occasional bluff when your instinct tells you the time is right. A balanced strategy will leave the other fish in the pond powerless know what you are going to do next.
Predatory play
Sharks have a killer instinct. The good news is there is nothing instinctive about being a poker shark, it all comes down to learning, so homicidal tendencies are not a prerequisite for success. However, that learning takes time, effort and dedication.
