Humans are designed to think whether they like it or not. While animals live to preserve their gene pool, a huge part of being human means to relentlessly think for the sake of something larger than life, for the sake of survival.

It goes without saying that in order to be a victor and survive the game of Poker, sharpness of the mind shall be used.

Being sharp does not mean that you have to be academically intelligent, it means that you have to be knowledgeable. Sharpness in the game of player means knowing how to properly deal with your own game, your opponents and most importantly knowing how to deal with your skills.

The line that separates a good Poker player from a winning Poker player is the willingness to constantly learn, observe, and adapt.

Successful poker players survive because of self control and eyes that carefully read each opponent. Do not bother playing player if you do not have self control and is impatient. You will only lose. Self control is about the art of suppressing your emotions so you can carefully analyze the exact situation you are in, which in turn, will help you make wise decisions.

The greatest poker players are like journalists who are always eager and always on the look out for more information that will lead them to discover something big. For instance, what will you do if you are faced with a player who might be bluffing? Do not make the mistake of stereotyping that player. Instead, what you do is just observe that player until you can gradually see his intentions and his real position. When you observe, you learn. Remember that.

If you think observing is mind reading then you can put it that way. You can attempt to read or decipher the ulterior motive of your opponent by observing both his actions and expressions. Your opponent’s verbal and facial expressions can help you crack the code you are looking for. Once you have cracked his style, you can now freely anticipate each move he makes. But be careful not to draw any conclusions yet.

Though anticipation is critical in a game of player, it does not mean that you will not prepare yourself for any backfire. You have to make sure that you can adapt well to every situation you might get yourself into. Losing is not an option and anticipation does not always equate money.

The game of player, like evolution, is all about survival. In order for you to survive, you need to observe. Observing allows you to learn and be vigilant to the possible dangers around you. Keep in mind that observing is the only way to learn and learning is the only way to cultivate success.