Edges

Winners and losers. What seperates these entities in poker? Is it luck? Skill? Or is there an invisible force that operates slightly below the surface to create a positive outcome? I often ponder these questions in an attempt to influence and affect my own Texas Hold'em play at my favorite casino, The Oasis in Mesquite, Nevada. In the search for answers, I carefully study the best player's and the worst player' characteristics and play. Over time I've noticed that winning players have small, but consistent edges. The winners are usually:

- Patient
-Attentive
-Sober
-Knowledgable
-Conservative but aggressive
-Know when to quit
-Rarely on tilt (stable)
-Play few hands

The losers usually:

-Overly aggressive
-Call off their chips
-Bluff too much
-Whine at bad beats
-limited poker knowledge
-Play weak draws
-take unnecessary gambles
-Blame bad luck for losses
-blame the dealers for bad hands
-Drink too much

Generally, these differences result in small edges for winning players. The next time you're in a poker game, try emulating the traits of winning players and you also might take home the gold!

Link