Too Much to Think
online poker books and pundits offer lots of advice about strategies to win. Some are more basic, like slow playing the nuts, while others are more complex. Some casino online professionals espouse the ‘play the player’ approach which relies more on psychology than cards. In psychological play, there are several levels of thinking involved in poker: 1. Simply playing your cards. 2. Trying to get a read on your opponents’ hands. 3. Trying to discover what your opponent thinks you have. 4. Figuring out what your opponent thinks you think he has. The third and fourth levels involved well-honed skills at interpreting other peoples’ actions and motivations, and in manipulating others into thinking what you want them to. Some online poker players can leverage these skills to play a game that is a lot more complex than simple cards.
Sometimes players make the mistake of over-thinking their hands and their opponents’ intentions. Level 3 and 4 thinking are not going to be effective on a player who simply plays ABC poker according to the cards. You should stick to level 2 with this player and just try to figure out the hand you’re up against.
Over-thinking your strategy can lead to mistakes. If your opponent is a level 2 thinker, then practice deceit in portraying your hand. Make it impossible to get a read on you.
Don’t get caught up in over-thinking your game and opponents. Identify the weaknesses at the table, exploit these, and play a straightforward game where you change gears sometimes to confuse and confound.
