PokerNews · Jun 21, 2017
Cooke's Corner: Five Major Components of Poker
What does it take to reach a top level, to be one of the few who has what it takes to succeed where others fail? It takes five major components in poker:
Knowledge of strategy,
Understanding your opponents' psychology,
Understanding your own psychological make-up,
Analytical skills, and
Knowledge of basic statistics.
Knowledge of strategy is perhaps the simplest of the five requisite skills. You attain this two ways.
The most effective way is through experience. When playing, observe what better players do. Ask yourself why they do what they do? Spend the time between hands designing counterplays which take advantage of your opponents' tendencies. If you have trouble remembering, take notes.