Have you ever played the stock market?
In my early years as a journalist, I began studying stocks. I read books written by stock investors who claimed to have made big money playing the market in order to develop a winning strategy.
The book was fun to read and sometimes the strategy even worked. One book by Nicholas Darvas, a former professional dancer, told how he had made $2 million playing options. I searched around for a stock that I thought had a chance to sharply increase in value, came up with Tesoro Petroleum which was drilling for oil in the North Seas, and invested in 300 shares of stock in a six-month option.
For the first five months, the stock didn't move. Then it started moving. With less than 30 days of my option to buy the stock at a set price remaining, Tesoro began moving up the ladder one or two points a day. On the last remaining day of my option, I sold the stock for a $3,000 profit.
Some of the world's top investors came up with a sound strategy on how to make money in the stock market. When most of the investors are selling, that is the time to buy. When they are buying, that is when you sell. In other words, do the opposite of what most people do.
That strategy also works in poker.
When I sit down at a poker table, I take careful note of what the other players are doing. All poker tables are different depending on the personalities of the people at the table.
Let's say you find yourself sitting at a table where all or most of the tables are raising. This happened to me a couple of weeks ago. The players engaged in raising wars, capping almost every hand with the maximum number of raises before the flop.
Normally this is not the table where you would want to play. But there is a certain strategy that works if you are willing to wait until you get the right hand. And it only takes one hand at a table like this to assure yourself of a profit.
I waited for that hand. And it came. Pocket kings.
I just called the bet with my kings and waited for the raising to begin. The other players did not disappoint me. They placed the maximum number of raises and when the betting came to me, I just called.
The flop was perfect for me. Ace, king, seven.
Again the betting maxed out and I just called with my three kings. Three of the other players turned out to have aces and by the time fifth street arrived, there was over $400 on the table which I happily won.
Before the evening was over, I had won two other large pots and ended up with over $1,000 in winnings for my evening's work.
If you find yourself at a table where the other players are timid and rarely raise, you become the raiser. You can do it with good hands and bordero-line hands when you are in position. Don't be afraid to raise with k-q or q-10 if you are in position or on the button. The odds will take care of themselves and you will win more often than you lose.
In relationships, opposites attract. In poker, the same thing happens.
Since the makeup of a poker table constantly changes, be sure to adjust your play when the makeup changes. If the wild raisers change tables and you find yourself at a table with passive players who are simply calling stations, change your game. Now you become the aggressor.
Poker is a very alive game and you need to stay on top of it if you want to prevail. By adjusting your play to the other players, you will remain ahead of the curve and your bankroll should benefit. That is the way to play winning poker. Good luck. Let the games begin.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
