Playing Poker... How to find the fish?

What poker player doesn’t dream of going heads up with Phil Ivey and taking his car, house and money all in one night. However, the harsh reality is that the reason Mr Ivey has so much money is because he is pretty damn good at playing poker. If you have a genuine desire to make a living from poker or simply use it to fund those little luxuries we all want, then just maybe, playing against Phil Ivey, might not be a smart move. The answer to the question of how to make a profit playing poker is a simple one. And it’s not nearly as glamorous as testing yourself against the best of the best but it will mean that you can continue testing yourself without having to sell the car and children… The answer is to “find the fish”. The fish like to flap around usually at a 2/4 dollar level sometimes 3/6 and here are a few tips to help identify the Salmon from the Sharks:

1) People who talk a lot usually don’t think a lot.

Look for players who feel the need to commentate on every little aspect of a hand. Those who throw out random guesses of what you might be holding ranging from nothing to the nuts in just two guesses are obvious examples. I find that people who spend all their time typing online usually want to be noticed so play fairly loose and fast making a lot of bluffs and almost always happy to show you how clever they are by flashing their King high bluffs.

2) If you have played at a particular level for a while and someone you have seen playing at a lower level steps up, then… pounce

Although this player clearly feels they are ready to move up and play for more money against better players, they are often just fooling themselves and have gotten greedy and bored. They are often out of their depth and worried about how much extra money they are risking. This can make them an easy target to bully and push around with aggressive play and are certainly people you should be happy to play poker against.

3) In poker you have no friends

Poker is a cruel game and whenever you win someone else has lost that same amount. Hence, if you know the people who play online and feel you are a better poker player than them don’t hesitate to get involved on their table. This might not make you the most popular player but popularity doesn’t pay the rent!

4) No one has ever lost too much

You will often find yourself playing with people who you have already cleaned out a few times and for some reason they keep coming back for more. In a situation such as this it’s easy to feel like they deserve some sympathy. Don’t make that mistake, if the situation was reversed, I doubt you would find any sympathy or money coming your way! When a player is complaining that they can’t afford to play then treat them as a normal player and test them to see if it's really true... We are all adults and if they are broke then they should make the decision to stop not beg sympathy...

I wish you the best of luck and if you see a table full of strong players with one empty seat, WAIT and I assure you a weak table will open up shortly… go find those fish!