Poker and Philosophy: Keep An Eye On Your Watch
by Bodog Poker | Jun 10 2010
"A man with one watch knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure."
I can't find any information about Lee Segall, the person to whom this quote is attributed, but this is a very apt quote when it comes to those who are new to poker, be it online or at a table in a casino. As poker players, our task is to deduce, speculate, and guess what other players may be holding at any given time and use our hypotheses to our advantage, but it's very easy for players who are just setting down the path to become inundated with conflicting data.
If you're new to the game, you can easily overthink each and every hand, flipping back and forth and undermining your game. Concentrate on your cards, not what the others may or may not be holding. By focusing and becoming comfortable with your possible hands, by being able to size up your possible hands and their odds at any given moment, you'll feel the noise of the table drain away, giving you the clarity you need.
It can be difficult for novices to focus on your hand, particularly if they've read a lot of
poker strategy. If you learn to hone in on your hand and worry about its possibilities, you'll eventually be able to learn what others are likely carrying and why. Internalizing the processes and making it so that you always know what "time" it is for you is key to becoming a player firmly rooted into the game.
It's recommended that you take the time to learn the general odds for poker hands and how they can be applied to your hand at any given time: if you are holding a suited KQ, you've got the chance to build a flush, a straight, or end up with a high pair of three of a kind if the flop goes your way. Focusing on your cards and how they can be played is more important than guesstimating what your competition may or may not be holding.
We understand that keeping an eye on your "watch" can be a challenge, particularly if you're experiencing an unlucky run of cards and are eager to play after folding five or six times in a row. This is when you can stop worrying about your watch and take a look at the other players. After you've folded, let the cards go and take the opportunity to observe the other players and how they are performing. By watching them, you can learn what hands can push them to raise, which ones merely get a call, and you can learn why and how they bluff.
If you want to
learn to play online poker and get an understanding of the basics, Bodog has a number of resources that can help. We also encourage those new to the game to play free online poker and learn the basics without the pressure of playing for real money.
