Keys to Poker Success: Game Flow and Concentration Part 1

It may seem obvious but one of the great challenges in becoming a long term winner in poker is maintaining your concentration. You must keep your head in the game from hand to hand, hour after hour and day after day. If you lack concentration you start making more and more mistakes at the poker table and losing more than you should. It's true that if you have a solid understanding of the game that most decisions are very easy to make and can be made even if you are distracted. The problem with lack of focus is that you miss out on all the little gems of information from other players.  Missing these tells cost you opportunities to either save a few chips or win a few chips. Either of which can have a profound effect on your bottom line over the long term. For example, a player is prone to bluffing on the flop and has a tendency to fold when reraised. You would only know this if you were into the flow of the game and paying attention. If you just played the cards you'd end up folding a lot to this aggressive player and lose a lot of chips instead of stealing a few pots from him and coming out ahead. Or say that a player that has been tight all night suddenly raises 3 times the big blind. If hadn't been paying attention and didn't realize this was a tight player you might not realize the danger you'd be in by calling with anything but a very strong hand. Saving or gaining a chip here and there may not seem like much but over the long haul it can mean the difference between being a winning poker player and going broke. Maintaining concentration and staying in the flow of the game is critical to your long term success but is much easier said than done when boredom sets in.   In part 2 of this this article I will discuss some techniques to help you maintain focus and keep your edge.  Be sure to subscribe using the form in the upper right so that you don't miss out. Poker Resources Featured Poker Rooms: Absolute Poker Full Tilt Poker UltimateBet Learn to Play Poker Profitably the right way: Sit N Go Pro Outstanding Poker