Jim McKenna

Some players quit playing poker every time they lose. Would you quit playing baseball, chess, or golf when you have a bad day? Losing is part of the game; just like winning. So this is not about quitting poker. Like Scotty Nguyen jokingly says, "When I don't make 4 million dollars poker in a year, I'll quit."

Waiting, competing, and quitting are all things we do in poker. We do them in life too, as we go through the day. What's the difference? Very little, depending on what we are doing.

We will wait for a bus, or wait for a show to start; but will we wait for the snow to start? We will wait for a raise in salary, but will we wait for prices to go up?

Waiting, competing, and quitting are all things we do in poker. We do them in life too, as we go through the day. What's the difference? Very little, depending on what we are doing.

We will wait for a bus, or wait for a show to start; but will we wait for the snow to start? We will wait for a raise in salary, but will we wait for prices to go up?

Texas hold' em is more popular than 7-card stud-although luck plays more of a role in hold' em. Regardless of which game you prefer, there are certain similarities to keep in mind when deciding to play or fold. The First Cards dealt-play with an edge: You can't play any three cards in 7-card stud. Small pairs are playable in both games. But don't fall in love with them-particularly in stud-if you see your card in someone else's hand. That the advantage in 7-card stud-you can see some of your opponents' hands.

Texas hold' em is more popular than 7-card stud-although luck plays more of a role in hold' em. Regardless of which game you prefer, there are certain similarities to keep in mind when deciding to play or fold. The First Cards dealt-play with an edge: You can't play any three cards in 7-card stud. Small pairs are playable in both games. But don't fall in love with them-particularly in stud-if you see your card in someone else's hand. That the advantage in 7-card stud-you can see some of your opponents' hands.

This is not a comment on the age-old debate of whether poker is more skill than luck; it's about the one skill that some players have since childhood, and others must develop. When you did something wrong as a child, were you good at escaping trouble, or did you get caught every time? If so, you may lack the very skill you need to be good at playing poker.

It's the skill of being a good liar. In fact, most skills in poker are traceable to this one skill. Whether you are bluffing, avoiding being read, or avoiding giving out tells, the one common denominator involves lying.

Playing poker during the holidays-or any time, really-is like burning a candle at both ends. First of all, candles are not meant to be burned like that. And second, if you are holding a lit candle at both ends, you will eventually get burned.

Playing poker is similar. Eventually, you will get burned and either be caught doing something stupid or your luck will run out. After all, even good batters will miss more times than they hit. Getting a good poker hand also happens less often than getting a bad one.

My dad used to say that during the Great Depression (1929-1939) there were two jobs that you could count on getting. One was being a policeman. He served the force for over forty years and began during the Great Depression. The other job was being a bartender, even during the Prohibition Era (1920-1933). Now we are experiencing what some have called the "Great Recession." Has it had an effect on poker-both on-line and in the brick and mortar casinos?

When setting a trap in hunting, using the proper bait is important. The proper bait in poker traps depends on the kind of animal you are playing with. It also depends on what kind of hunter you are-aggressive or passive. When trying to get other players to fold or stay in longer than they should, different baits are needed for different players. While a conservative player can be baited and trapped by slow playing, a looser player may require the bait of fast play-challenges either way.

Playing poker is a journey of discoveries. When you play a table you know that people will play differently and you are looking for subtle mood-behaviors to clue you in. But, when the whole table is moody, it means you've discovered something new-something that may insurmountable, even for a good player.