Any creative art requires a philosophy. The game of poker, with all its complexities, is an art form. If you are a droid, all you need is an on-off switch to get you going. If you are not, you will need certain human qualities to motivate you to achieve your purpose and that which you love. Obviously, few of us would consider ourselves philosophers. But that isn’t required - what is required is a creative imagination and powers of perception.

Everything starts there and to learn to make yourself do what you dislike in order to improve substantially it helps to envision the task from any favorable perspective most convenient to you. For example, you might compare developing communication skills to taking cold showers: these are an unpleasant shock every time when you first begin to take them, but after a month or two (which is not at all much!) of such very brief ablutions twice a week you become, in a sense addicted, because there are definite results and pleasure involved: few things compare with hot water after 30-60 seconds of cold water.

Learning any new skill is applicable to the cold shower story. Most of us like the challenge of learning something new even though there is some stress involved.

So with the analogy of the cold shower in mind, take the plunge and dive into those areas of poker that you would really rather not venture into.

So much for the philosophical side, it is now time to consider some more general and pragmatic advice. You might hire a professional coach to teach you privately where you can acquire experience without the embarrassment of more learned opponents making fun of you. The coach will also point out your weaknesses and mistakes so that you can learn from them - weaknesses and mistakes that you may not be aware of without outside intervention.

If the cost of a professional trainer is too much for you, the alternative is to acquire poker friends: sincere and frequent arguments even between average players significantly improve logic and perceptiveness. You may also want to be a member of poker forums. Very good players often post and share valuable experience via online forums.

Jot down notes whether playing online or offline. You can review these later and don’t have to depend on memory alone, which given the complexity of the game will probably fail you in the end. The notes will aid you in formulating a self concept of how you are playing the game and why you made the moves you did. This is applicable as well to your opponents. The goal of this recordkeeping and critical review is to progress to the point where you can ask crucial questions before you make a move.

Did your opponent react the way you thought he would? Is his reaction in keeping with what you expected after learning the ways of your opponent? Did he bet or raise according to your expectations? What cards do you want him to think are in your hand? At which point in the hand to you want him to call or raise?

Constantly asking yourself questions like these is difficult to learn, but after a while it become a habit and then a challenge. And then you are playing poker for real.

The author is a successful nolimit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Rakeback at Poker Nordica and Rakeback at Doyles Room.

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