Top Traits for Top Players

Texas Holdem players that have been around awhile have seen all types of players: weak players, strong players, players who get mad easily, and players that never seem to learn that an 8-4 offsuit is just not that great of hand. The popularity of Texas Holdem, and especially of No-Limit Texas Holdem has brought the sport into our living rooms, and we have been able to follow some of the greats of the game. Playing Texas Holdem online has changed the face of the game somewhat, but there are still some traits that top players have that allow them to consistently beat No-Limit Texas Holdem.

Strange things happen in Texas Holdem. Players catch the last ace in the deck on the river to beat you. It’s a part of the game. We chalk it up to bad luck, file it away for a bad-beat story and hopefully move forward. But, sometimes mistakes are confused with bad luck. The top Texas Holdem players out there try to minimize their mistakes, but are also the first ones to realize it and to admit it when they do make one. Most of all, they learn from them. Did you miss a bet along the way and let someone make their hand? Should you not have called the hand in the first place, or perhaps got off of the hand when the flop brought you bottom pair? Mistakes in poker are inevitable - they are going to happen. But blaming mistakes on bad luck is not the right way to handle it. Realizing your mistakes, and trying to learn from them is one of the top traits of top Texas Holdem players.

One thing that separates a good Texas Holdem player from an average one is his ability to think logically and reasonably rather than being overly dependent on emotion. A good Texas Holdem player does not get upset when someone draws out on him, no matter how strange or stupid the hand was played. This is a part of Texas Holdem, and getting upset about something like this will only take you off of your game. Good Texas Holdem players also do not play more hands than they normally would when they get frustrated or upset. Patience is a key to Texas Holdem, especially No-Limit Texas Holdem. Another top trait of good Texas Holdem players is not taking things personally. If you are check-raised, realize that this is a part of the game. DON’T get upset; but rather, consider it for what it is: a sign that you may not have the best hand. Re-evaluate your hand and consider the correct move. In fact, this may save you money in the long run. So, why get upset at someone who has given you a pretty good idea of what they are holding?

One top trait of successful Texas Holdem players is to not adjust your game simply because of being up or down for a session. Playing tighter when you are ahead and playing looser when you are losing is not a good habit to get into. If you consider all of the sessions that you play as one long poker game, this will be an easier feat to achieve. In this way, being ahead or down at one particular moment in one individual game will have no effect on your play. Remember, set the pace where you want it, and don’t let other players put you into a position you don’t want to be in. Adjusting your play based on winning or losing will allow other players to gain an unfair advantage over you.