Poker Wisdom: Estimating the Enemy
online poker is warfare played on a felt table. Every hand is a battle, usually with a winner and a loser at the jeux de casino, though sometimes it’s an even match and the spoils are shared. British essayist Charles Lamb once said, “”Cards are war, in disguise of a sport.” It is an apt description of poker, where aggression can win the stakes, and weakness results in losses. Poker is a game that is won through strategy and by out-maneuvering the enemy. When engaged in online poker warfare, one always has to assess the enemy’s potential. General David Shoup once said, “The commonest mistake in history is underestimating your opponent; happens at the poker table all the time.” To defeat your enemy, you must gain insight into your foe through careful observation. You must assess your location in the field, i.e. your position in the betting order, and what actions your opponent has previously taken to make a strategic decision. Does this player check raise and slow play monster hands? Has there been any bluffing? Is your opponent a rock who only bets with premium winning cards? Know your enemy before doing battle with him. When your are playing poker, it is not just the cards in your hand that count, but your opponent’s capacity for deceit, aggression and risk-taking that must guide whatever action you make.
