Leveling: how not to outsmart yourself in poker
The ultimate pleasure for any player in online poker – beat a professional and be one step above his level. The struggle of the levels of thinking in poker is called “leveling”. For example, the first level will be the question “Which hand does the opponent put me on?” and the question on the level above is “What does the opponent think, which hand do I put on?”. To use leveling, you need to determine the opponent’s level and go up one higher. If you go up two steps higher, you will outsmart yourself.
There are two mistakes in the use of leveling, which lead to downswing: underestimating and overestimating the opponent.
Overestimating an opponent in poker
Overestimating an opponent in poker is a very common mistake. You endow your opponent with those abilities that he does not possess, awarding him excellent analytical skills and knowledge of the game. In fact, in not every game, you will meet thinking opponents.
In poker, players often fight at several tables, so they may simply miss a moment or pay insufficient attention to the game. In such a situation, you will outsmart yourself.
The problem of overestimating the opponent is mainly faced by young promising players who work out the strategy perfectly and are sure that all poker players do exactly the same. In fact, not every opponent is as talented and hardworking, and the moves are often rash.
Underestimating the opponent during the game
Underestimating the opponent is the opposite situation. It should be understood that after online poker has become a popular sport, the level of players has become much higher. You need to take into account the fact that you may find yourself at the table with equal rivals or even with professionals who should not be underestimated.
Leveling in poker: how to determine your level of play?
Analyze your games. How many hands were winning, and how many ended in defeat? What contributed to this? If you consider yourself a professional player, but the bankroll tends to zero, you should think about whether you underestimate your rivals.
If you have great cards, but you are afraid to take a risk and think that your opponents have a better hand and a higher level of play, it is quite possible that you overestimate their abilities.
Playing poker is a constant work on yourself and analyzing each hand. If you can’t figure out the mistakes yourself, work with a poker coach who will definitely help you overcome all difficulties.