In deciding upon the perfect poker game for you, you should begin with one that has copious literature available, whether online or book format. Omaha, for example, is an interesting and profitable game but very difficult to get information on because there is very little written on the subject. Hold’em is where you should go. It is the most popular form of the game out there today in both actual and virtual casinos and so has much written about it.

Having decided that, there are still several more personal questions to ask yourself before deciding which Hold’em variant to try. It is of utmost importance for any poker player to know whether they are risk oriented or not, or, to be more exact, to what extant they like to risk.

It is a very peculiar thrill, and those who cannot stand, having calculated your best chances, to make that step into the air, like Indiana Jones towards the end of The Last Crusade (he did not so much summon the faith the walk on air, but merely calculated that his father’s diary implies an invisible bridge), had better keep away from the poker table (watching others play might be the compromise to settle for). Nor is poker the right activity for people who cannot control themselves and play kamikaze-style. For those who feel they do not sufficiently understand themselves, there are tests which determine inclination towards risk. The more risky you are the more sense it makes to play no-limit cash and tournament poker.

Next in your self-awareness exercise program is to determine if you are a mathematician or a behavioral psychologist. You calculators are meant for limit games. If you are able to discern the cards that your opponents have in their hands by reading various bodily signals, you are the one that should be in no-limit and multi table tournament (MTT) games.

Should you really want to invest some time and brain matter in the game, the complexity of no-limit and MTT games give you the best shot at developing as a player. For the dilettante, stay with sit-and-go tournaments and limit poker.

The least potential for players reach the heights of fame and fortune is in limit poker. The best games for would-be poker champs are tournament games and high profile no limit games.

Limit poker is more accessible online than in casinos and clubs, where it is becoming rarely played. Your attention should be turned to public establishments and tournament poker as it is the only form of the game officially recognized as a sport.

If you consider poker as a profitable profession, you will systematically target games with a high percentage of weak players. Because of accessible literature, the amount of weak players is particularly low in limit Hold’em. Focus on no-limit and tournament poker, training yourself accordingly, whatever you feel your inclinations are initially. Limits higher than $1/$2 may already prove too large a piece of cake. In SnGs, the beginner may want to stay bellow $20+$2, in no-limit bellow NL$100. Below these levels, basic knowledge of poker principles are likely to suffice. Higher levels will demand intense efforts to study the game, and even the studious player is not guaranteed consistent wining.

The above suggestions are all well and good for first steps. With experience and continuing education, you will be able to answer many of your questions clearly on your own.

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Rakeback at Carbon Poker and Rakeback at Fortune Poker.

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