4 Techniques That Will Help You Become A Professional Poker Player

The object of this article is to demonstrate how you can become a professional poker player.

Legend has it that 27 years ago, a group of young men decided to make their own version of the card game 'Blackjack' and thus invented the modern-day concept of poker. Poker's popularity grew quickly throughout American culture until a World Series Poker tournament was created in 1970, which enabled players from all over the world to compete against one another for large sums of money. This tournament ushered in an era where players not only have always been able to play other human opponents online but also against sophisticated computer programs. In today's digital age, almost everyone has played at least once or twice on some sort of poker platform, whether it be with family members while growing up, in a casino playing with friends, or online competing against strangers.

This article will outline the most critical aspects that you'll need to develop in order to become a professional poker player and pave your way to the top. 

Math Skills (Probability and Statistics)

Basic arithmetic such as multiplication and division is integral when understanding the concept of Poker probability. If you are wondering what does it take to become a professional player, then this is essential. For example, in Texas Hold'em you must understand that there are 52 cards in a single deck and therefore 13 of each card exists in that one deck. You simply multiply 4 x 13 = 52 which means there are 52 possible starting combinations within a single hand of Texas Hold'em if no other players have entered. If two players are playing, 52 x 13 = 676 which means that there are 676 possible starting combinations within a single hand of Texas Hold'em. When you multiply the number of possible combinations with the total number of cards (13) in one game (52), you will end up with 82340 different permutations (cards) per game which gives about 0.000001% chance of hitting any one hand or combination at least once; keep this in mind.

Discipline

Becoming a Poker Pro is extremely difficult because it requires immense discipline and determination to achieve your goal.  Achieving any respectable status as a poker player requires countless hours of dedication to understanding odds, practicing on free online programs, and eventually competing in tournaments against other players.  You must also understand that you will be losing more than winning at the beginning, which is why it's imperative to have an extremely solid foundation in mathematics because you will need to outsmart your opponents at all times, even when they are bluffing or trying to do fancy plays.

Psychology

The mind of a Poker Pro differs greatly from other casual/semi-serious players because he/she understands how human behavior affects poker odds and statistics.  For example, understanding the fact that having a loose table image (playing hands that aren't necessarily strong) can be used to lure opponents into betting if they assume you're always playing hands every time you enter a pot. Another example is knowing that if you're in a tournament, then it's much better to be one of the shorter stacks because your opponents will be less likely to play back at you when you're all-in, which gives you an excellent opportunity to win chips. Also, if you are in the big blind, then this is a good spot to steal or to raise aggressively vs. one opponent because players usually fold when they get re-raised even if they have strong hands simply because their risk of losing $4 (being half-pot size) outweighs the reward of winning $8 if he/she also has a strong hand.

Understanding Pot Odds & Implied Odds

Understanding pot odds and implied odds will help you become an extremely profitable player over time because it gives you an edge over other non-profitable players who don't understand this concept. Poker odds can be summarized by two main numbers: 

1) Number of outs (cards that will improve your hand's strength)

2) Number of players in the pot

Taking into account that each player contributes a certain percentage to the total expected pot value, you can work out how much you will gain from the time your opponent(s) fold. Let's say there are 4 Players A B C D Each Player has 49% 49% 49% 49%, the current Pot is $1. It doesn't matter whether this is pre-flop or post-flop, it still remains at $1 which means if all 4 players see a flop then they'll add an additional $0.25 ($1 x 25%) for a total expected Pot value of $1.25 ($0.25 + 1 x ($ / 4)). If every player folds, then you end up winning $1.25 which is money that was contributed by everyone else. 

However, if not every player folds (and say only 2 players fold), then you end up winning $1 of extra money because of the 2 other players who didn't fold. This means that your expected profit from a hand or a round increases as more players enter into a pot, and it decreases as fewer players enter into a pot because there's no one left to put money in the pot besides yourself! 

In order to become a professional poker player, it's essential that you understand the complexities involved with learning about probabilities, practicing psychological techniques against other players, and staying patient enough until an opportunity presents itself. It takes a lot of hard work and determination to make it as a professional poker player; however, it can be extremely rewarding if you put in the time and effort needed to become one!