Patience Is The Most Important Virtue In Texas Hold’em!

May 28 by  
Filed under How to Play Poker

Until the broadcasting of the WSOP back in 2002, poker and its numerous variants were not exactly the principal game in gambling establishments. In fact, before the first televised championships of poker, the primary focus of casinos comprised almost exclusively of fast paced games, which in this case, meant that you would either win or lose money much quickly.

For instance, if you were to opt for a craps or blackjack, you can expect to be $100 short, or why not, ahead in approximately 5-10 minutes. On the other hand, a half-decent Texas Hold’em player can easily stretch that same $100 bill for 5-10 hours, even considering a minimal $2 betting limit.

Why does it take so long in poker games?

Consider the following facts: in blackjack/craps/roulette/slots and other games, all you actually do is place the bet based on your strategy and hope for the best possible outcome, whereas in Texas Hold’em you can actually decide whether or not you want to place the bet in accordance with the cards you are dealt. In other words, while for almost all gambling games default betting is mandatory, the Texas Hold’em game makes this step optional.

Now, if you also take into account that there are 1326 potential card combinations only for the first couple of cards dealt to each player, your chances of actually getting a playable hand are 50:1 or less. Based on this gross approximation, it means that you are better off sitting out 49 out of 50 hands.

How do Texas Hold’em players pass the time?

Since all the decent players are familiar with the aforementioned principle and will not rush in with less than a minimalistic card combination, it is rather evident that they need a way to kill time. Now, the approach is based on the specific customs of your gambling establishment. For example, if you’re frequently playing Texas Hold’em at your local hometown’s casino, then you will probably get to know most of the clientele and you can easily strike a conversation with your table partners.

However, the same does not apply when you’re in one of the Vegas Strip establishments, so you should probably pack your own entertainment. Books and music players constitute the ideal anti-boredom solutions, but you could even engage in your favorite hobby, providing it doesn’t require a lot of materials and glue. In fact, I have actually seen an extremely proficient female poker player who was knitting – yes, knitting – in between the betting sessions!

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